Starlight
by TeamCarlisle
Summary: 7th story in the Lunar Eclipse Series... Picks up after The Darkened Sun... Revolves around Carlisle/Esme ... Rosalie is about to have a baby, Alex/Michael's wedding will be happening in the near future... some obvious conflicts will occur to keep it all interesting :) Enjoy.
1. A Dozen Roses

**Thanks for all the input and support with this series. I'm glad people are enjoying it. I really appreciate it! Hope this one is up to par. :) Happy New Year**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Esme wrapped up another week of school, allowing the kids to leave fifteen minutes early as a "Valentine's Day" gift. She had finally managed to get back into a regular routine and began straitening up the room so it would be neat when they resumed on Monday. Her arms were full of the notebooks everyone had handed in upon leaving and she walked over to the back of the empty classroom to place them in a tall cabinet as she always did on Fridays. The gloomy February weather made her greatly miss Isle Esme, as they had now been back for several weeks. Caleb hadn't attended the class that day, as Masen had asked to spend the day with his little brother.

She placed a few of the notebooks down on the desk that William typically sat and smiled as she saw he had lightly sketched Madison's name in the corner with pencil.

_Young love on Valentine's Day_, she thought to herself as she opened the cabinet. Esme went to place the first stack of notebooks on a shelf but stopped as she was surprised by a single rose and a card with her name written neatly across the front of a white envelope. Another smile spread across her face and she placed the rest of the books down on William's desk to read the note.

Esme removed the card and began to read it aloud quietly. "Care for a bubble bath? Head to our room." She looked around the empty room and out the windows where the darkness of the late evening took over the lightly illuminated space. At that moment she felt like a school girl, herself, with her first crush leaving love notes in her locker. The feeling was exciting and fun, and so Esme packed everything away, took the rose and locked up for the weekend. She quickly made her way back home where Emmett sat with a heavily pregnant Rosalie.

"Hey guys," she said with a smile, giving each of them a kiss on the cheek before running her hand over Rosalie's stomach.

"Any day now," she said, raising her eyebrows.

"I wonder if it'll a boy or a girl," Esme wondered aloud, looking at both of them.

"Girl," they both said at the same time and Esme smiled, thinking initially that Emmett was hoping for another boy. "We'll see," Rosalie added with a grin. She cuddled up against Emmett and they continued to cuddle as they watched a movie on the television. A few red bags were on the ground in front of them, and Esme guessed they had exchanged gifts for the holiday.

She smiled at them again and headed upstairs, hoping to find Carlisle there waiting for her. Her images of him shirtless in the tub encouraged her to take the stairs by two and she would have shoved the door open, though it was already positioned that way with just the lamp on the nightstand on.

Esme looked around the room before heading into the bathroom, initially disappointed to see the tub empty and Carlisle nowhere in her immediate vision. Her eyes fell on another rose with an envelope that sat on the ledge of the tub and she shook her head with another grin and reached for them.

A sigh left her mouth as she read the message that he'd written for her. _Go to __our__ place by that overlooks the ocean._

Esme knew exactly where he meant and grinned. She could hear the rain pelting the windows and falling harshly on the roof and contemplated changing out of the nice outfit she'd worn to school, but quickly decided that she didn't want to wait another minute and let herself out through the window so she wouldn't disturb Rosalie and Emmett. She also didn't want to explain where she was going, though knew they would be well aware that she left the house, regardless.

She ran through the woods, feeling strands of her pulled back hair flying out of place as she increased her speed, heading for the tall cliff that she and Carlisle occasionally snuck off to to watch the sun rise, or to have a little alone time.

The rain fell hard, though the tall trees provided some level of coverage. Esme didn't care much. She didn't know how many clues Carlisle had left for her, but she was having fun playing the game he'd set up for her for Valentine's Day.

Several minutes passed before Esme arrived at the destination that was set for her. She could sense that Carlisle had been there, but didn't see him. Her eyes scanned the darkness for another note, or another flower but she didn't see initially see either.

She headed towards the ledge and paced around the immediate area, still not seeing another note nearby. Esme wondered if he'd planted something farther down, but she knew for sure that the area where she stood was where they typically met up. For a second she stared out at the open ocean, barely able to make out of the waves and water. Below, however, she could hear the crashing of the waves against the stray jagged rocks that accompanied the bottom of the cliff.

For a brief second, she felt a twinge of fear, thinking of Felix and Demetri in her mind and jumped when she felt a pair of arms slide around her waist from behind.

Carlisle chuckled to himself and Esme quickly let her body relax and fall against his as a smile spread across her face. His lips connected with the part of her neck just below her ear and he continued to laugh lightly.

"I didn't know it was suppose to rain," he whispered, tugging on her earlobe with his teeth lightly for a moment.

Esme scrunched her shoulders and giggled from touch and pushed some hair back away from her forehead. She spun around to face him with a big smile and kissed him immediately without saying anything back. She took in his outfit, noticing he'd worn a nice pair of khakis and a blue shirt to match. His hair was now matted down onto his forehead from the rain and beads of water decorated his face.

She brought her lips back to his and felt him smile as their embrace became heavier as the rain continued to pour around them.

"Happy Valentine's Day," Carlisle laughed as Esme continued to actively pursue him.

She finally managed to pull back with a smile. She took in a deep breath, "I have your gift at home."

Carlisle smiled and took her hand in one of his hands, gently wiping away drops of water with his thumb with little success, "Want to go back?"

Esme looked around, then back to him and shook her head, "No." She pulled him a little tighter to her and played with the hair on the back of his head.

He was happy to hear her answer and removed his other hand from her lower back to hold up another rose. "I got a dozen and I wanted to send you all over the place, but I didn't think I could wait that long."

She laughed and took the flower from him before wrapping her arms back around his neck and shoulders, "I was a little disappointed at first not to find you in the tub."

Carlisle laughed with her and shrugged, "Still disappointed?"

Esme shook her head and closed her eyes as he kissed her again. She allowed herself to focus only on her husband as they remained engulfed in each other for the remainder of the storm.


	2. Pains

**Chapter 2**

"I was starting to get nervous," Rosalie said with a smile as Carlisle and Esme entered the house through the back door, each soaked from the rain storm that was still lingering from the night before. She glanced down at her belly and gave Carlisle a look, "She could arrive at any time now. Ready to come out of retirement?"

"Only for you Rosalie," Carlisle told her. He looked at Esme, who flashed him a smile, then the two of them looked back to her.

She grinned as Esme removed her shoes and instructed Carlisle to do the same with her eyes. When he followed her lead, she glanced down at his equally soaked socks.

"Socks too," she whispered, making him snicker.

"You tell him, Esme," Rosalie said with a nod and a smirk.

Emmett entered the room with Caleb on his back, "Hey... Masen and Leah just dropped this package off for you guys."

"What package?" Caleb asked.

"You, duh," Emmett said, turning his head halfway around.

"Duh..." Caleb repeated, clapping his hands off Emmett's face on either side.

Rosalie laughed and put a hand over her mouth.

"Caleb!" Esme said, pressing her eyebrows together, though Emmett was smiling wide, showing off his dimples.

"Don't hit Emmett," Esme went on, continuing her serious stare.

Caleb's formerly jesting expression changed to slightly more serious, "I was just kidding around..."

"Apologize," Esme said, putting her hands on her hips. She raised her eyebrows and saw Caleb's expression turn to that of guilt and a little embarrassment.

Carlisle looked at Rosalie and the two of them shared a discreet smile before returning their attention to Caleb and Emmett.

"Sorry," Caleb said quietly. He looked everywhere but at Esme and she had to hold back a smile from the adorably ashamed look on his face. She was waiting for his bottom lip to turn into a pout, but he never did. It was just another reminder that he was getting older.

"That's okay," Emmett told him, "You're getting too strong to do that. I don't think it would have hurt if you did it a couple months ago but, wow, you're getting strong." He winked at Esme and kept his lips in a tight grin so Caleb couldn't see.

A small spark seemed to flash in Caleb's eyes as Emmett spoke the word 'strong', though he didn't smile. He looked back at Esme who finally let her son's cuteness get the best of her and smiled.

Caleb held back a grin at first before he did the same, then looked at both of his parents. "Were you out in the rain?"

Carlisle and Esme both laughed, looking down at their drenched clothing and bare feet. "Went hunting," Carlisle told him. "Did Masen take you?"

He nodded, "Before the rain."

Rosalie clamped her hand down on Carlisle's shoulder hard and he looked over at her with a hint of alarm in his eyes.

"Oh boy," she said aloud, taking a deep breath.

Everyone stared over at her with the same expression and Carlisle immediately placed a hand across her back. Esme could see that Emmett wanted to be by her side and she called for Caleb.

"Come here, honey," she told him, waving her hands as he scampered off Emmett's back toward her.

"What's going on?" he asked her, lifting his wide, golden eyes to meet hers.

Esme picked him up and he stared across at Rosalie as she breathed in heavily through her nose and mouth.

Emmett looked at Carlisle, as they were on either side of her, and had a panicked look on his face.

"She's okay," Carlisle assured him with a nod.

Rosalie closed her eyes, pressing them shut for a moment before she opened them again, looking slightly less uncomfortable. "I'm okay," she told him, letting out a slow, decompressing breath. Her body relaxed for a moment and she looked at each of them before another pain passed through her body and her hands tightened around Emmett and Carlisle.

"Let's get to my office," Carlisle instructed them. He'd already prepped the room, knowing Rosalie could have given birth at any minute.

Caleb let his arm outstretch toward Rosalie and looked at Esme, "Mom..."

She knew he was well aware of his healing abilities, though hadn't had much of an opportunity to put them to use. Since Rosalie obviously wasn't human, Esme had no opposition to him keeping a hand on her shoulder while she was giving birth. It would take the pain away and she would certainly keep him up by Rosalie's head and shoulders area so he wouldn't be scarred for life by the birth of her child.

Esme carried Caleb close behind as they entered the room where Rosalie would be delivering her child. Her subtle moans of discomfort were low and they could tell she was trying to downplay the feeling. She paced out her breathing, which seemed to aid the situation until Caleb climbed onto his knees onto the table right next to Rosalie and took her hand in his. His eyes met Esme's with a caution, but Rosalie's face immediately changed.

A deep sigh left her mouth and she smiled, "Thank you," she said to Caleb, "You're such an angel."

Caleb's mouth twisted into a smile for just a second before he began to glance around at Carlisle's rapid movements around the room. No one had even noticed that he'd changed out of his previous clothing and into a dry pair of pants and his medical jacket.

"Like riding a bike," Emmett said with a nervous laugh, "You didn't forget all your medical training, right? I mean you look the part and all, but-"

"It's been a little over a month Emmett," Carlisle said, cutting him off as he slid across the room on a chair. He looked up at Rosalie, "How do you feel?"

"Good," she said with a nod, clinging to Caleb's tiny hand, "Really good."

"Good," Carlisle repeated the word back, "Have you had any similar pains throughout last night?"

Rosalie looked at Emmett, who had suspected several times that she was uncomfortable, despite how well and adamantly she denied it.

"Yes," she admitted, looking toward Emmett. They grinned at each other and he linked his hand with hers before kissing across her knuckles.

Esme gently ran her hand through Rosalie's hair, as she continued to take deep breaths, despite Caleb's comforting gift.

"Do you feel any pain now?" Carlisle asked.

Rosalie shook her head, "Not pain, no. I was in pain a few minutes ago before Caleb took my hand. I do feel... something... pressure I guess is the right word."

He nodded and reached for a pair of gloves. Everyone waited for him to complete an initial evaluation before Emmett was the first to break his silence.

"Is the baby coming?" he asked.

Carlisle waited a moment before he nodded, "Yeah."

"When?"

"Soon."

Rosalie followed Carlisle's requests, as he guided her through her second bout of labor. He kept his words encouraging and Caleb had taken in the seriousness of the situation. He kept his eyes mostly on Rosalie, though he occasionally glanced at his father when his voice got louder, or at Esme when she would check in to see how he was doing.

"Come on babe," Emmett encouraged after the time got closer and closer to the moment their child would arrive.

Rosalie pushed hard several times. "Is it out yet?" she asked aloud, directing her words to anyone who could give her an answer.

"Close Rose," Carlisle told her with extra enthusiasm in his voice. "One or two more."

Emmett shifted his eyes from Rosalie to Carlisle, as he was anxious to see their child for the first time.

"Another Rosalie," Carlisle encouraged, "This should be it."

Rosalie took in a long, deep breath before exhaling and pushing a final time.

"Keep pushing," Carlisle continued, "Come on Rosalie..."

Emmett's eyes widened as he waited before everyone heard the sound of the baby's cries as they filled the air. Rosalie sighed and relaxed, the cried out in pain as Caleb accidentally released her hand to try to see the baby.

"Sorry," he said, flinching at her reaction before grabbing her hand again.

Rosalie smiled and placed her other hand on his face lovingly as Emmett rushed to Carlisle with a grin to grab their child from his arms.

Carlisle happily handed the child to him and leaned back in his chair with an exhausted-like posture.

Emmett smiled and bonded immediately with the child as he smiled happily and let a tear shed from each eye.

"Em!" Rosalie said with a laugh and a sob at once.

He looked at her, holding the child close. The words left his mouth in utter happiness. "We have a daughter."


	3. A Discussion For Later

**Chapter 3**

Carlisle took a long, much-needed shower and swore he could almost feel the warmth of the water that was beating down on him. He had aided Rosalie in her recovery upon giving birth, though Caleb shortened the process by a lot with his ability. The rest of the family had trickled in little by little, and everyone was thoroughly enjoying the welcoming of the newest addition.

He inhaled deeply through his nose, then let the air back out again, slicking back his hair as it continued to fall close to his eyes against his forehead. Downstairs he could hear Esme gushing over the adorable baby and Alice's faux-angry tone as she jokingly scolded Rosalie for pretending she wasn't experiencing pain. While Alice could fully see the birth of the child, she didn't know the exact date when it would arrive and by Rosalie's persistent claims that she was fine, Alice had left with Jasper for the Valentine's Day evening as just about everyone else had.

"You made me miss the birth of my niece," she joked, and Rosalie laughed shortly after.

Carlisle smiled to himself and killed the water, sending a single 'thump' sound into the air as the knob fell into the off position. He pulled the curtain back and reached for the towel that he'd placed just outside the tub and dried himself off before wrapping it around his waist. As he passed by the linen closet, he reached for another smaller towel and rain it through his hair before slicking it back with just his hands for the time being.

The birth of Rosalie's baby was something that left him feeling worthy, in a professional sense. It had only been since the beginning of the new year that he hadn't actually practiced medicine, not that he hadn't been reading and continuing to study-up on certain topics; but he felt like he was back in the scene of using his human-toned gifts to help people. Carlisle felt greatly blessed for the years he was able to work as a doctor. There was a part of him that missed it dearly, though he knew where his priorities would lie and that was with his family's wishes. They had always relocated, more so for him than anyone else, or so that was how he saw it. He wanted to stay in Forks because it was what his wife and children and now extended family called home.

He crossed through the room and made sure the door was shut before throwing on a pair of gray sweatpants and socks. Although the attire didn't matter much, there was something about sweats that made him feel relaxed and at home. It was his intention to remain indoors for the rest of the day unless something came up.

Esme opened the door and Carlisle spun around as she smiled and closed it again.

"For some reason I'm reminded of Fifty Shades of Gray right now," she said with a laugh, "Tall, blond, handsome, shirtless and in a pair of pajama pants..."

He laughed, knowing the context of the story, "I wasn't aware that you read that."

Esme laughed back with him, "Some afternoons while you were at work."

"Rosalie's recommendation?"

She giggled again, "Alice, actually."

He nodded and snickered, "How's she doing?"

"The baby or Rose?"

"Both," Carlisle said, "Have they picked out a name? I didn't even ask."

Esme nodded and smiled, "They're both doing well. And yes, Mackenzie. It was kind of a tribute to Emmett's family name; McCarty."

He gave a half smile, "Sounds perfect for them."

"Mmm..." she smiled and sighed, placing a hand over her necklace. Carlisle could see that her eyes were far away in a little daydream.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, still grinning slightly.

"She's going to grow up to beautiful," Esme told him, "A mini-Rosalie. She's so precious. Emmett has already turned to goo over her."

Carlisle pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead, "I'm afraid our family may overpopulate the world." A laugh escaped his mouth and he locked his fingers together on the base of Esme's back. "I'm glad they had a girl."

"Me too," she agreed, "Rosalie wants to thank you whenever you're ready to come down."

He nodded and sighed, "Okay."

"I still have your presents here, but I'll give them to you tonight after everything settles down." She placed her hands lightly on his chest, then moved them up around the back of his neck.

Carlisle gave another closed-mouth grin, "Okay," he repeated.

Esme pushed herself up onto her toes and kissed him once, "I want to shower, but we should have a talk in a little while."

He gave her an inquisitive look, "About what?"

She looked down, then back up again, "You."

Carlisle appeared confused and his eyes squinted slightly.

"Your profession..." she went on, "You miss it already."

He grinned and shook his head, "Esme-"

"If you want to continue to work we should have another sit down about it. I could see it in your eyes and in your movements when you were in the process of delivering the baby. You're a great doctor with a real gift and I think it's something worth discussing."

Carlisle stared at her with a serious expression for a moment, knowing she was right, but not wanting to be selfish all the same. "I've had the ability to practice for centuries. No one else can say that. I've done more than my share. It's time to let your dreams, and everyone else's dreams come first."

Esme admired him greatly for his unselfishness, not that it came as any bit of a surprise. She was married to him for so long and he hadn't changed in that respect one bit. Carlisle was always thinking of others above himself, and she could see that he even felt bad for pursuing his career for the length of time that he had.

"I just think that everyone else gets to use _their_ gifts," she told him, "You deserve to use yours, too. You love it. You should continue doing it."

"I love you more," he told her, "And the kids and everyone else."

"I know." Esme smiled and nodded, "But that doesn't meant you can't have it all."

"You love teaching and designing homes," Carlisle told her, running a hand up and down her back slowly.

"And I've designed homes since I've met you," she told him with a smile, "And now I'm able to teach our children about _our_ culture. Our location won't stop me from doing either, especially now that I have Mackenzie to work with. She'll catch up to Caleb in age soon and they'll be the next generation I can teach."

He grinned at the glowing expression on her face and traced her jawline with his thumb on one side before tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, my hair is a mess," Esme told him, scrunching her nose, "That's why I have to shower. We can have this talk a little later, okay?"

Carlisle sighed and nodded, "Alright."

Esme kissed him again. "Go meet the little one and hang out with Rosalie for a bit. Caleb's gushing over her, too." A smile lingered on her face and Carlisle laughed.

"Alright," he repeated.

She smiled and perked her lips up so he would kiss her once more before crossing the room. She opened one of the drawers in his dresser and threw him a gray sweatshirt that matched his pants before heading into the bathroom to take a shower.

Carlisle smiled to himself, glad to see her happy demeanor as a result of Mackenzie, and headed downstairs to give his official 'hello's" to the newly born vampire.


	4. Forks Is Home

**Chapter 4**

The day after Valentine's Day was overly uplifting. Masen, Leah and Cassandra had stopped by for awhile, as did Seth, Luciana, Renesme and Jacob. While Jacob and Rosalie's brotherly, sisterly type relationship hadn't died, Jacob accompanied each of his jokes with a compliment, letting Rosalie know that he truly did care about her. Their previously tense relationship had developed into something more fun, and was very similar to that of hers and Edward's.

Rosalie had managed to pull Renesme aside and asked as privately as possible when she and Jacob were thinking of having a child of their own. Years ago she'd be on and off in her discussions, though recently she hadn't said much about it.

"I'm scared," she said lightly with a laugh, putting a hand over the side of her face. Her smile lingered, "I want to, and we will, but it's such a big deal..." She shook her head.

Rosalie smiled back, "You'll know when it's time."

Renesme nodded and glanced at Mackenzie across the room in Emmett's arms. "If anything will convince me to try sooner rather than later, it's Mackenzie."

"Emmett's having trouble giving her up," Rosalie said lightly, "I love it."

They shared a laugh and Rosalie leaned her closed fist against her cheek and perched her elbow on the couch. "And there's my doctor," she added as Carlisle crossed by them with a tray full of food for those who ate it.

He grinned back at them and shrugged humbly, having a quick thought of Esme's short conversation with him far earlier in the day. "I'm glad you and Mackenzie are healthy."

Rosalie stood up and pulled him by the hand, bringing him into a half hug so she wouldn't spill the food in his other hand. "You mean a lot to me, Carlisle," she told him, "I don't know what we would do if you weren't here."

He rubbed her back gently for a moment, then smiled back at her, "You delivered Alexandra, don't forget."

Rosalie sighed and they both looked at Renesme.

"I know, I know... I was the pain the ass delivery," she said looking up at them from her seated position on the couch.

The three of them shared a laugh, getting amusement out of how light she made of the situation. Carlisle and Rosalie remembered that day as if it had just passed, but were glad enough time had passed that allowed them the comfort to make jokes from the serious nature of Bella's pregnancy.

"You were our first miracle Nessy," Carlisle assured her as Rosalie nudged her.

Renesme smiled at them, then glanced over his shoulder to see Jacob accepting Mackenzie in his arms.

"Don't drop her dog," Rosalie called over to him.

"I may drop you in a second if you don't quit yelling," he said back, lifting his eyes to meet hers for a moment.

"Emmett, are you going to let him speak to her like that?" Edward joked from where he sat with Bella on the couch.

"Thank you, Edward," Rosalie said for defending her.

"Oh, it's not particularly for your sake, Rosalie," he teased, "I just wouldn't mind seeing Jacob getting pounded."

"Dad..." Renesme said in a pleading voice.

Jacob and Emmett each snickered and everyone watched as the baby's eyes looked up to Jacob with wonder and astonishment. She was seeing all of them for the first time and seemed to be taking in everything about him as his face lingered above her tiny body.

"Wolves can't imprint twice, can they?" Emmett asked, causing Jacob to roll his eyes.

"The wolf jokes never get old," Jasper said with a laugh.

"Jealous," Jacob said, shaking his head as he rocked Mackenzie carefully in his arms.

Esme, Bella and Alice all looked on at how soothing Jacob was with the child, each of them having the same thoughts about him in regards to fatherhood. They all had taken a strong liking for Jacob and thought how perfect of a father he would be whenever he and Renesme decided to go down that road.

William and Madison suddenly burst through the door with the speed and near destructive like pace.

"Where'd you guys come from?" Jasper asked with a laugh, "Your little sis was born hours and hours ago."

"I know," William said, almost out of breath, "I didn't think she was coming for another couple of days."

"They were on a romantic getaway," Alice said, blowing their cover with a chuckle.

"Sorry," they said at the same time before crossing the room.

"Come see her," Emmett said with a wide smile.

Jacob looked at William and handed the baby over and the two of them smiled.

"Hey Mackenzie," he said gently, already knowing the name upon the million texts he received. Madison pouted her lip next to him and smiled, gently letting her hand graze the baby's head.

Rosalie walked toward them and a put a hand on either of their backs. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"She's _so_ beautiful," Madison agreed.

"She really is," William said, "I'm your big brother Mac."

"Nickname, yes!" Emmett said with a laugh, "I was waiting for someone to call her Mac."

Rosalie grinned and guided William toward the couch so the three of them could sit down with Mackenzie together. Emmett stood just off to the side with his arms folded for a second before he leaned down over Rosalie's shoulder to talk in a baby voice before kissing her on the cheek a few times in a row.

Esme looked on at the four of them with baby Mackenzie and leaned against Carlisle, who had since picked up Caleb where he sat in his left arm. Everyone smiled adoringly at each other and they looked like a picture perfect family. Fittingly, Alice broke out her I-phone and snapped several photos of them, grinning as she did. They were so wrapped up with each other that no one noticed.

"This turned out to be quite the perfect Valentine's Day... or days," Carlisle said, smiling wide.

"It really did," Esme agreed. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek and took another look around.

Everyone continued to smother Rosalie and Mackenzie for awhile before they finally got some one on one time though Emmett, William and Madison continued to hover nearby.

Carlisle had taken the time to readjust and clean up his office and it now looked exactly as it had before he'd prepared it for Rosalie. On Caleb's request, Esme took him into the room and asked him to write out his latest collection of new words on the small blackboard that'd she hung for him in the corner. Carlisle sat down at his desk in front of their lap top and smiled to himself as he listened to his son spelling out each word, most of them correctly. His eyes shifted to the computer screen where a list of openings for various doctor jobs lined the webpage in front of him.

He snickered lightly and looked over at Esme, though at that second she only had eyes for Caleb as he hesitated on a letter partway through the word 'alligator'.

"Is it 'er' or 'or'?" he asked, looking toward Esme.

She shrugged with a closed mouth grin, "You decide and I'll tell you if you got it. If not, we'll fix it together."

Caleb stared at the board, almost hoping the correct letter would just magically appear in front of him before he slowly brought his hand toward it, unconfidently writing out the correct letter.

Esme smiled and nodded when he completed the word and looked at her, "Very good."

Caleb smiled and relaxed his tense posture and placed the chalk down at the bottom of the board. She threw her arms around him in a hug and kissed him on the cheek.

Carlisle browsed through the options that were posted onto the website. Some where west coast jobs, others were more north, or centrally located near the Canadian border. One or two were out in New England. He was tempted to bookmark a few so they were saved to the computer, but caught a glimpse of a picture of Alex and Masen on the edge of the desk. A sigh left his mouth, as there was a slightly confliction in his views on the subject. He was grateful, however, that the confliction was a positive one. All of the options were good, but he knew which one was better.

Caleb had moved on to drawing pictures on the board in chalk after a little while of spelling words, and Esme made her way across the room to Carlisle. He closed the laptop and looked up to her, pulling her down in his lap for a moment.

"Well, what do you think?" she asked him, running a hand through his hair.

Carlisle smiled and pulled her to him a little more snugly, "I think we're going to have to stay right here," he told her, "And I'm very content with that answer. I do love being a doctor, and I already miss it, but let's give it a year here and then we can sit down again to go over the options."

Esme could see the lack of hesitation in his words and how confident he was with the decision. She smiled at him, "Okay."

He could see that there was a big part of her that was happy to stay, but also recognized easily how genuine her attempts were to get him back into the profession that he loved. "Thank you," he told her, "For thinking of me."

She tapped him once lightly on the nose, "That's my job."

Carlisle smiled, "I love you."

"I love you more."

He was about to rebuttal with his usual comment, but she put her hand over his mouth before he could respond and smiled. She gave him an extra long look and could tell that he was grinning, too.

When she removed her hand she kissed him once and hopped off his lap to rejoin Caleb. He smiled to himself at their interaction, hearing Mackenzie start to cry at the same time. Carlisle knew there was no way they could leave. Forks was home.


	5. Sixty Minutes

**Chapter 5**

Masen tapped lightly on the frame of the door that lead into Carlisle's office. He'd visited the house several times throughout the day, though this time he was clad in uniform.

"Masen!" Caleb shouted, springing him from his knees to rush his brother.

He smiled and picked up his younger brother as he leapt into his arms, slinging him quickly on his back.

Carlisle and Esme both approached their eldest son.

"Going into work?" Esme asked him.

"Just getting off a short shift, actually," he told them, still smiling.

Caleb cupped his hands and whispered into Masen's ear, who smiled and laughed, then looked at his parents. They had already heard what Caleb had said, but allowed the boys to spill their plans themselves.

"I told Caleb I would take him for a ride around town in the squad car," Masen told them, "If that's okay."

They both looked on with the same expression. There was no question that they were brothers from the likeness of their features.

"Don't people in the police go to jail?" Carlisle asked jokingly, folding his arms and looking at Esme, who played along.

"Yeah," she added, with a nod, pretending to be serious, "Caleb isn't going to go to jail is he?"

Masen laughed, but Caleb looked at him with wide eyes, now seeming to be wondering the same thing.

"Not if he sits in the _front_ seat," Masen assured them with a wide smile, "The criminals sit in the back."

"Oh, okay," Carlisle said with a nod, "Then sure, why not?" He looked at Esme.

"Is that how that works?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yep," Masen confirmed with a nod.

"Alright," Esme agreed. She looked at Masen again, "That's okay to do right? You don't get in trouble or anything?"

He shook his head, "It's fine."

"Okay." She walked over and kissed them both on the cheek, "Caleb, let's get your shoes on and a jacket."

"A jacket?" he asked with a sigh.

"You know the rules."

"Alright..." he agreed.

"I'm wearing one too," Masen said, tugging on the black fabric of his police issued coat.

Caleb smiled and hopped down off his brother's back, wandering away with Esme to get dressed for the outdoors before they met back up with Carlisle and Masen.

"Ready?" Masen asked him.

"Yep," he said with a nod.

"I'll have him back in an hour."

Carlisle and Esme smiled and nodded. The boys waved goodbye and scampered downstairs and out the front door, exchanged a few words with whoever was down there before the door opened, closed and the start of a car engine purred in the driveway.

"Don't hit the button until I tell you, alright?" Masen's voice told his younger brother.

"Okay Mase," Caleb said back.

The sound of the engine grew farther away, as did their voices. Carlisle and Esme stood close together in the hallway, listening to their conversation until their voices were out of a clear ear-shot.

"Two peas in a pod," Esme said with a smile, "He loves his big brother."

"They've been spending a lot of time together," Carlisle acknowledged with a smile.

Both of them sighed and they looked at each other.

"Where did Alex go?" he asked, suddenly realizing that he hadn't heard her in awhile.

"She and Michael went to see Seth and Lucy's new house," Esme said, then added, "I believe it was a gift from..."

Carlisle thought for a moment, not catching on, then he widened his eyes, "Aro?"

She nodded, "I overheard them talking earlier."

"Where's the house?"

"The next town over on the border of the reservation on the other side."

"It's massive," Edward added, taking the stairs with Bella in tow.

They turned to him and Carlisle smiled.

"I was curious so I kept my attention on Seth's mind for awhile," he admitted with a laugh. "They plan on having a house warming party soon."

"I have to say my mind goes back and forth about Aro," Esme said. "Above anything, he does love Lucy dearly."

Carlisle nodded, ultimately refusing to comment either way due to grudge he still had against his old friend for putting Esme and Alex in harm's way.

"Not to eavesdrop or anything," Edward added, smirking at the two of them.

"You've been eavesdropping all day," Bella accused him lightly with a laugh.

"I want to see their house, what can I say?"

The four of them shared a laugh before Edward looked over Carlisle's shoulder into the office. "Mind if we use the computer?"

He shook his head, "Go right ahead. We're done in there."

They slunk into the room and Edward immediately placed Bella across his laugh. They shared a string of kisses and smiles before finally getting to what they had gone in there for.

Esme smiled and looked at Carlisle. She nodded her head in the direction of their room. "Okay, Valentine's Day gift. It's nothing special. Just a new shirt and a pair of shoes to replace the ones that were ruined."

He laughed and shut the door as they entered, "I take it it's not a surprise."

She snickered and looked over her shoulder as she removed a bag from the bottom of the closet. "Here ya go."

Carlisle took the bag from her hand and sat down on the bed, pulling out exactly what she had described. He looked up and grinned, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Esme leaned down and kissed him once.

Carlisle took a deep breath as she parted her lips from his. "I can tell there is a bottle of wine waiting somewhere."

"Your senses are right on," Esme told him.

He grinned and stood up.

Esme turned on two smaller lamps in the room, and then flicked the switch to the overhead light so the room was slightly dimmer. She walked gracefully toward the closet again and Carlisle eyed her as she went, then glanced toward their balcony, having assumed that's where she'd left the wine.

"Close your eyes," she told him, not turning around as she shuffled through his closet.

He smirked and did as she asked.

"You wanted a surprise right?"

Carlisle laughed, though didn't open his eyes. "I suppose this qualifies."

Esme snickered and crossed back toward him, having fun with his vulnerability. He let out a sigh as he felt the fabric of one of his neckties slide over his eyes, followed by a quick tug as Esme knotted it by the back of his head.

Another laugh left his mouth, though she could tell he was slightly more on edge, but enjoying himself all the same. No matter how hard he tried to fight it, a smile lingered on his face.

Esme took his hand, trying not to laugh as he cautiously moved his feet in the direction she lead him. "Trust me?" she asked.

Carlisle laughed again, "I do."

"Good," she said, positioning him in front of their bed before pushing him just hard enough so he felt onto it.

Carlisle showed his trust and let himself fall without question, feeling his head land solidly in the middle of the mattress followed closely by Esme's fingers as they undid the buttons on his shirt. She could hold back a light flutter of laughter as she saw Carlisle swallow hard with anticipation. In turn, she leaned down and kissed his lips once lightly.

"I think your game is slightly better than my Valentine's Day scavenger hunt," he said lightly as she broke the kiss.

"I'd call it a tie," Esme said back, speaking so closely with him that her lips grazed his.

Carlisle swallowed again and breathed in through his mouth and nose as she ran her hand down the center of his chest that was now exposed. She followed the trail quickly with her lips, stopping about halfway down before bringing her lips back up against his ear.

He positioned his hands on her back as she whispered a seductive, "I love you," before pushing her lips back against his, this time more passionately. It didn't long for Carlisle's mind to catch up to her actions, reciprocating her advances. The lack of sight allowed his other senses to take full control.

Esme hopped off of him for a moment, scampering toward the balcony to take a sip from the glass of wine she'd poured for each of them. When she returned, Carlisle had leaned up on his elbows and was facing her direction, though never removed the blindfold.

She approached him and repositioned herself on top of him as she had before she'd briefly broken their embrace and kissed him more forcefully, knowing his lack of sight would greatly increase the high he would receive from the fresh blood that lingered in her mouth upon taking the sip of their 'vampire' wine.

Carlisle's level of desire and aggression heightened from the combination of his lust for blood, and for Esme. It was almost uncontrollable, though he managed to maintain his self-control and didn't make a sound.

"Can you keep quiet for the next hour?" she whispered into his ear. "That's when Caleb will be back."

Carlisle nodded, but didn't say anything and reached his hand up blindly to take Esme's face in his palm. She took the time to kiss each of his fingers before pinning his hands above his head. He sighed and she smiled. Esme took a quick look around the room, taking note that all of the blinds were shut before extending Valentine's Day for another sixty minutes.


	6. Eight Months Later

**Chapter 6**

Spring and summer passed rather quickly, leading up Alexandra's wedding. Things had been relatively quiet and everyone was particularly happy about that. There had been no confrontations since the visit from Jane, Felix and Demetri, and no further discussions had been made regarding Micah and Helen. The Cullens hadn't received any contact from the two of them, though the spirit warriors from Montana, Kayla and Jeremy, sent a card during the summer months as a way to keep in touch. Jacob and Renesme had made trips to visit them several times and had kept in close contact with them, primarily via email.

Mackenzie had grown at the normal rate of the rest of the vampire children. She and Caleb appeared to be about the same age, though she was starting to look just slightly older. She had Emmett's dimples and a hint of his perfect smile, though the rest of her features were stolen from her mother. Her hair was a dark blond and flowed elegantly past her shoulders. As she began to grow taller than Caleb she showed off Rosalie's personality, also, letting him know that she was 'older' despite being born more than a year later.

Everyone got a kick out of their interaction and Rosalie often pointed out that if she and Edward had actually grown up as brother and sister from the adolescent stage, they would have been exactly like Caleb and Mackenzie. Despite the lighthearted teasing between the two children, they also got along quite well on most occasions.

"I'm too old to be the ring bearer," Caleb complained to Carlisle as he stood now about five feet tall. He appeared to be of about eleven or twelve as his second birthday was only a few months away. "Alex picked me for the job last winter when I was just a kid."

Carlisle laughed and began to fix his son's tie. "You're still a kid."

Mackenzie walked by and raised her eyebrows at Caleb, smirking as she heard Carlisle's words. Caleb's jaw clenched slightly and he shook his head.

"This is for your sister," Carlisle reminded him, "It's her wedding day. She wants you to be a part of it."

He looked down for a moment, then back up and nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. I just wish I could be up on the altar with all the other guys."

"Everyone's got their own part in this," he explained, "Do your part the best you can. It'll be fun."

Caleb nodded, "Alright."

Carlisle finished with the tie and let it drop onto the middle of Caleb's suit before he messed up his hair a little with his hand.

"Hey!" Caleb shouted, pushing his finely combed hair back in place.

"Carlisle," Esme said, entering the room where they stood. She shook her head, "Don't mess up his hair. The wedding's about to start."

He raised his eyebrows, "Sorry."

She smiled at him and shook her head again. "Ready to walk her down the isle?"

Carlisle let his smile fade and nodded, "Yeah."

Esme pulled him in for a hug and kissed him on the cheek, then gave a little tug on his earlobe. "Everything will be fine."

"I know," he responded with a nod.

She rubbed his back and released him as he left the room to prepare for his part in the wedding. Esme linked up with Caleb and gave him a rundown on his job as the ring bearer, though they had practiced it at the dress rehearsal the night before.

Alexandra stood, taking in deep breaths where she waited for her big day. The location she chose was the same place they'd held Carlisle and Esme's anniversary party. There was something beautiful about the place that she couldn't get out of her head and thought it to be the perfect place to get married. She tried not to bite her nails, as Alice had scolded her several times throughout the day, considering they were freshly manicured, though every few minutes she found her hand up by her mouth again.

Carlisle crossed into the room and Alexandra turned to face him, sighing and smiling at the same time.

"This is it, huh?" she said, looking overcome with emotion.

He nodded, "I suppose so."

"I didn't think," she shook her head, "I didn't think I'd be this nervous."

Carlisle grinned halfway and shoved his hands into his pockets. "It's a big day."

"Yeah." She nodded and glanced down at her chipped thumbnail, then laughed lightly. "Alice is going to kill me."

He shared her brief laugh then looked at her again. "You look very beautiful Alex."

Alexandra could tell her father was a bit choked up by the nature of the event and walked over to hug him. "Thanks Dad. Thanks for all of this."

"You grew up too fast for me," he admitted.

"Things won't change much," she told him, "I mean, me and Michael are just making things official."

Carlisle knew her words were true in a sense, though like Masen and Leah's life together, things would be slightly different. Alex and Michael didn't know that Esme had purchased them a home back in August. They would still surely be around the house, though they would also have their own life separate from the rest of the family.

"I wish Michael's family could be here," Alexandra whispered to him. "I know they can't, but I wish so much for him that they could. I couldn't imagine doing this without you and Mom."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, Alex."

She pulled back and smiled at him, "I'm not going to get all down about everything. I'm just grateful for your support with all of this."

Carlisle nodded and she kissed him on the cheek in the same spot Esme had.

"We're about ready," Emmett said, entering into the room for a brief second. "You guys good?" His smile seemed to calm Alexandra down and she nodded.

He gave her a wink and pointed at them before settling his position with Rosalie.

Alexandra linked her arm through Carlisle's and sighed again. He kissed her forehead and placed his free hand over hers.

"Ready?" she asked him.

He nodded, "Yeah."

The two of them stared down the isle that was decorated on either side with their close family and friends. Everyone took their turn going down the isle, positioning in the spots that were designated for them. Masen stood in as the best man, and Alexandra ended up having to draw names out of a hat to decide who her maid of honor would be. At the end of the day, she'd decided on Nicole. The two of them had grown overly close and frequently referred to each other as a best friend.

Esme took her place in the front and turned as Alexandra and Carlisle took their walk. Her daughter radiated with happiness and her natural beauty illuminated the room. She looked perfect, though slightly anxious at the same time. While her eyes scanned the crowd and she smiled, it almost looked as if she was counting her steps. About halfway up, her eyes met Michael's and from then on out her worried expression died off and Esme could tell she saw no one but him.

Carlisle's expression and posture were far more tense than his typical demeanor. He looked pained and happy and tense all at once. Esme could tell that he didn't want to mess anything up on the brief walk with their daughter and looked relieved when it came to a conclusion without any mishaps. He swallowed hard and slowly, yet confidently let her hand drift from his own to Michael's.

The two men shared a look and Michael nodded politely to his soon-to-be father in-law before taking Alex the rest of the way to the altar. When Carlisle linked back up with Esme she saw a slight glisten in his eyes and grasped his hand. He gave her hand a squeeze back and didn't let go throughout the remainder of the ceremony.

The expressions on everyone's faces were different. Emmett smiled wide most of the time, as did Alice. Rosalie altered between choked up and happy. Masen remained somewhat neutral on the surface, though never took his eyes off his sister and Michael.

"If there is anyone who believes these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest's voice boomed.

Alexandra took her eyes off Michael for the first time since letting go of Carlisle's hand. Edward chuckled from the side, making Emmett look back at him and smile. Esme looked at Carlisle and grinned, knowing he must have heard something in someone's thoughts.

When no one objected, the man finished his speech with, "You may now kiss the bride."

At that moment, the latest marriage in the Cullen family was completed. Alexandra and Michael shared a simple closed-mouth kiss before linking hands and nearly running down the isle past their clapping friends and family. The wedding party filtered out next and the more emotional aspect of the day had come to a close.

"Time to party!" Emmett shouted once they got outside. Alice's giggles came next. Happiness radiated out of everyone and their family knew they were in for a long, fun-filled evening.


	7. Alex's Reception

**If anyone wants to check out my trailer for The Darkened Sun, that would be awesome. I was bored and worked on it for awhile. If you go to the link: you tube dot com/watch?v=kIESAaVCbJI you can check it out (please do you have time!) lol oh, and you'd just have to actually type in the you tube URL part, it wouldn't let me paste the actual link on here.**

**Chapter 7**

Alexandra looked as though she was having the time of her life once the reception started. All of the nerves and more serious-natured part of the situation had been taken over by singing, dancing and toasting to the newlywed couple. She and Michael danced fast, slow and sang along to whatever happened to be streaming from the speakers by the DJ station.

Everyone enjoyed themselves throughout the remainder of the night. The guests took turns playing games that were scattered around the outside perimeter of the reception floor outdoors. The feel was formal with a touch of casual, fitting the personalities of Alexandra and Michael perfectly. There were moments that brought the sentimental value to the surface in the dance that she shared with Carlisle. Michael hesitantly asked Esme to dance with him, considering she was the closest thing to a mother since having to leave his family behind. She happily accepted.

"I'm sorry your mother can't be here," Esme told him as quietly as possible, "It hurts me that you had to leave your family."

"It's okay," Michael said back, "I know it's for their own safety... and ours." He paused, "Thank you for dancing with me. I wanted to ask you prior to today, but I wasn't quite sure how to."

Esme pulled him a little closer, "You're a great young man Michael." She recognized as they danced that he reminded her of a combination of Carlisle and Jasper. He was extremely polite and old-fashioned in a sense that he never cursed, opened doors for all the women in the house and was soft spoken most of the time. On the other hand, he was slightly reserved and a little tormented from his past with Olivia, at least in his earlier years with their family. As he opened up more and became comfortable with their family, that trait went away just slightly.

Alexandra leaned her head on Carlisle's shoulder and smiled and giggled as the dance between Michael and Esme came to a close. She kissed him on the cheek as she hugged him, then did the same with her daughter as she returned Michael back to Alexandra.

"Mom, this is the best day of my life," Alex told her with a wide smile, "I know I haven't exactly been around nearly as long as most of you but I can't imagine a better day than this."

Esme pulled her close and smiled, "I'm so happy for you both, Alex. You're a wonderful, beautiful couple; a perfect match for one another."

"Thanks Mom."

"I love you," she told her.

"I love you too."

They separated and smiled at each other before the upbeat music started up again the party resumed at it's perfectly rowdy pace. The night went on with everyone enjoying themselves. Caleb was old enough to start enjoying himself at these types of events and had fun dancing, mostly with Nicole and Mackenzie, but frequently made his way in with the older guys whenever possible. Emmett, like he had been with Masen, was overly welcoming and made him feel like one of the "big guys".

"So, where exactly is the boat?" Alexandra asked Esme, as the midnight hour crept in on them and the reception's last dance and speeches came to a close.

She grinned, "I know your father and I wrote you out exact directions."

"Yeah, but Edward said there's a sign or something... I don't know."

"Call us if you need us, but those directions are fool proof," Esme continued, "Did you guys read them?"

Alexandra laughed, "Well..." she shrugged.

Esme laughed with her and shook her head, "I didn't think so. Read them while you're on the plane... and re-read them... and re-read them again."

"Okay," she said with a nod.

"You're welcome honey."

They both looked over and Carlisle was slipping Michael a piece of paper.

"Directions," Esme said with a smile, "Now you have another copy."

"You guys don't want us to get lost huh?"

"Well you don't have the best traveling record..."

"Mom, come on... that was a long time ago."

Esme hugged her daughter again, "I hope you have a wonderful time."

"We will," Alex told her.

Carlisle and Michael approached together. "I gave him the directions."

"Mom beat ya to it," she said with a grin.

Carlisle smiled, "You can never be too careful." He pulled her in for a hug and kissed her forehead again, then gave Michael a pat on the back.

"I think the limo's here," Alice said in a loud whisper as she passed by them.

Carlisle nodded and Alexandra let out a happy sigh, glancing around at everyone.

Emmett whistled loudly, signaling for them to hop in the car. "All aboard!" he called out, the closest to them in a line of people who were waiting to see them off.

"Go ahead," Carlisle said to them, "Call us a few times. Let us know you got there okay."

"Okay," Alex and Michael said at the same time.  
"Thank you both," Michael said, shaking Carlisle's hand and hugging Esme a final time, "For everything. I feel spoiled."

"Don't," Esme told him reassuringly. "Have a great time and enjoy the sun."

"I love you," Alexandra said to both of them.

Carlisle and Esme said the phrase back at the same time and he threw an arm around her shoulders as they watched Alexandra and Michael stream down the line of people, high fiving Emmett and Alice, hugging Rosalie, Bella, Nicole, Cassandra, Leah... the list went on. Caleb and Masen gave their special farewells and they were finally approaching the fancy means of transportation.

Edward stood at the end of the row and opened the door for them. Bella made her way to his side and they both shared a smile.

"Don't break the headboard," Edward whispered, putting a hand up to block his words from everyone else. He knew it didn't do much good but still did it regardless.

"Oh jeez," Bella said, shaking her head, "Don't listen to him. Have a great time."

Alexandra looked around, then down toward her parents who now stood the farthest away. "Um, Edward?"

"Yeah?" He glanced over at Bella, then back to the two of them.

She laughed for a second then scrunched her nose, "Is there another bedroom there besides my parents' room?"

Jasper and Rosalie couldn't help but laugh from a few feet away and Edward and Bella shared an amused grin. "Yeah," he told them, "Look around. No one really used it the last time we were there, but there's another room."

Michael looked a little embarrassed and looked out of the corner of his eye to see if his in-laws could hear the conversation at hand.

"Don't worry about it, Michael," Edward assured him with a hand on the shoulder.

He smiled sheepishly and looked at his bride. "Ready?"

Alexandra nodded and took one last look at everyone, "See ya guys..."

"Bye Al!" Alice said with a wave.

"Have fun!" Nicole called out, followed by a number of other chants and cheers.

She hopped in the limousine, as Michael laid his hand out to guide her in before he gave a wave and joined her. Edward shut the door and was the last to see them off as everyone ended their evening with the last parade of "congratulations" before the two of them went on their first adventure together as a married couple.


	8. Family Blessings

**Chapter 8**

The sun looked as though it would come up within an hour, or less. Carlisle and Esme sat side by side at the edge of a dock that stretched out into the water. Everyone else had gone home, Caleb included, as he was practically clinging to Emmett's side for the second half of the night. The autumn trees that scattered along the water's edge on all sides of the small lake looked like a picture perfect dream out of a catalog.

"We should go before the sun comes up," Carlisle said. He sat with his legs outstretched and had one foot crossed over the other, leaning back on his hands. Esme sat close, leaned up against him, occasionally resting her head on his shoulder as they had talked the night away.

She looked over at him and nodded, "Too bad. I could spend all day here."

Carlisle kissed her forehead.

"Do you think they'll get lost?" Esme asked him.

He glanced down at his watch, reading that it was just creeping in on five o'clock in the morning. "I think they'll be okay. I had several long talks with Michael and showed him a map of pretty much exactly where the boat was docked."

She nodded, "Yeah. They should be okay, I suppose." Esme sighed and looked outward again across the water. There was an orange tint as the base of the black sky that seemed to shimmer up the atmosphere in waves.

Carlisle stood up and held his hand down for her to take. They two of them stood close together and took in the beauty of their surroundings. Everything was still, and quiet and serene. A few birds spoke to one another as they awoke for a new day, though aside from that there was nothing.

He draped his arm around her shoulders as they turned to make their way up the small hill that lead back to the building. Carlisle opened one of the doors that had lead out onto the elegant patio where most of the party had taken place and let Esme enter before him. She linked her hand back up with his and they crossed through the lobby toward the car.

The click of Esme's heels drew the attention of the man at the front desk and he smiled. "I hope you enjoyed your stay," he said with a wave.

"Thank you," the two of them said back at once.

"This is a lovely place," Esme told him, with a nod.

The man nodded politely and smiled, "Thank you."

"Have a nice weekend," Carlisle told him with a wave.

They exited through the front door and walked across the nearly empty parking lot. Carlisle opened the passenger door for Esme before sliding into the driver's seat. Before he could start the engine, she leaned across the way and gave him a kiss.

"Thank you," she told him.

"For what?" he asked, smiling as he did.

"For being a gentleman; opening my door... everything."

Carlisle grinned almost shyly, and looked down, then back up at her. "I'm a man of my time, old-fashioned, as you know." He snickered, "And I love you."

"I love you." She guided his face to hers and they shared another couple of kisses before Carlisle locked his hand with hers upon starting the car up, driving with just his left hand as they left the countryside.

A playlist of some soft, modern alternative music cooed through the speakers and Esme sang along to the few parts she knew. The kids were constantly harping on both of them to get in touch with the music of "today" and so they allowed them to create a collection of tracks that neither of them minded listening to. The older music, however, was something each of them preferred on an everyday basis.

Carlisle smiled to himself as he caught glimpses of Esme's lips moving silently along with the songs she liked. Her gaze fell out the passenger window, switching to straight ahead several times before she finally glanced over at him.

"You know," she said, "Michael reminds me of you in a lot of ways; Jasper too, a little, but he's just a very genuine, nice young man."

He smiled and looked over at her for a moment, "He's a good kid. I feel confident that he'll take care of Alex. He makes her happy."

"I feel bad that he didn't get a chance to dance with his mother."

Carlisle sighed and ran his thumb over the back of her hand, "I wish it could have been possible."

She nodded and sighed lightly, then looked back out through the windshield.

They rode in silence for a few minutes before Esme's phone went off. "Oh, it's Alex!" she said.

Carlisle released her hand to turn down the music and listened as he continued to drive.

"Hey honey," she said happily. There was a pause before a smile washed over her face, "Good! I'm glad you found the boat... yes there is cell phone reception on the island." She paused again, "Hang on one second." Esme looked over to Carlisle, "What day will the clean-up crew be there? She doesn't want them to be out in the sun or anything if people are around."

"Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning," he said.

She nodded and listened as Alex was repeating to Michael what Carlisle had just said. "You heard him?" she asked.

"Yeah, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday," Alex repeated on the phone.

"That's right," Esme told her daughter, "Will you guys be able to navigate through the water alright?"

"We'll be fine," she assured her, "Michael has had a lot of experience with boats. His father owned one."

"Alright," she said, "If there is anything at all that you need just call us. I'll have my cell phone with me the entire time you're away just in case."

"Okay," Alex said, "Thanks, Mom. Tell Dad thanks for us too."

"You're welcome," Esme said, looking over at Carlisle who gave a nod to let her know he'd heard Alex on the other end of the line.

"Tell them not to go anywhere else," he said, "Don't leave the island once they get there."

Esme was about to tell Alex, but her daughter beat her to it, "Tell him not to worry," Alex said with a laugh, "We learned our lesson in Italy. We're not leaving the island. We may not even come back, who knows?"

When Esme didn't respond initially, Alex laughed again, "I'm kidding Mom. I'm just saying that because it's so nice down here, and we're not even there yet."

"Is the sun up?" Esme asked her.

"Not yet. Michael is untying the boat now."

"There's more gas if they need it on board, and some at the house, as well," Carlisle told Esme.

"Did you hear Dad?" she asked.

"Not that time," Alex said.

"He said there's extra gas on the boat and on the island."

"Okay. We'll find it."

"I see it," Michael's voice came from in the background. He, too, could apparently hear both sides of the conversation.

"Be careful," Esme said.

"We will," Alex told her, "Call ya when we get there."

"Alright."

"Love ya."

"We love you too," Esme told her daughter, "Be careful," she repeated.

"We will," Alex said again, "Talk to ya soon."

"Okay."

Esme hung up the phone when she heard the click from Alex's end, staring at it for an extra second again before placing it back in the cup holder in between the seats. She reached for the knob on the radio and turned the music back on.

"When are you going to tell them about the house you bought and restored for them?" Carlisle asked her.

"When they get back, I guess," she said with a smile, "It's been hard keeping that a secret. I have to say that Alex is far more nosy than Rosalie or Bella. She was always asking where I was wandering off to when I would go work on it."

He laughed lightly and Esme smiled, looking down toward his hand for a moment before entwining it with hers again.

"Oh, they grow up way too fast," Esme said, shaking her head with a laugh. "Caleb's starting to get tall. He'll be taller than me soon enough."

"At least he's not close to full grown yet," Carlisle told her, continuing to glance over on occasion.

"I know," she said, "We're lucky for that."

"I'm glad we didn't reverse that wish now," he said, "Aren't you?"

Esme nodded, "I think we've adjusted quite well. I'm glad Caleb is still so young, but I know it's not going to last for long."

Carlisle smiled at her sympathetically and continued stroking her hand gently with his thumb.

She laughed to herself once and shook her head, "I shouldn't be complaining."

"You're not," he assured her, "I imagine every parent has those thoughts. And unfortunately, we aren't blessed with the early years, as humans are. In the long run, however, we'll have an eternity of time to spend with our children. The blessing outweighs the curse. I don't want to call it a curse, but you know the expression..."

Esme nodded and looked out the window as the sun had finally fully come up. She looked at Carlisle with a grin, "Are you happy?"

He looked back at her, surprised a little by the question, as he always thought his answer was obvious, "Very." A smile spread across his face.

"Me too."

Carlisle glanced at the straight away rode in front of them and saw no cars in the distance. He leaned across the way to give Esme a kiss, intending to pull back immediately so he could focus on the road, but got lost in the moment for an extra couple of seconds until she started laughing.

"You're driving..." she reminded him with another giggle.

He returned the laugh and re-focused on the task at hand. The two of them the rest of the car ride quietly content, never unlinking hands. While the drive could have taken forever and they wouldn't have minded, they were both equally happy when their house came into view.

Carlisle looked over at her. "Home sweet home."


	9. Annual Meeting

**Chapter 9**

Carlisle sat with an envelope in his hand, flipping it over several times as he sat in front of a small fire in the fireplace. Alice had pile the day's mail on the kitchen counter, leaving the one with his name printed neatly on the front at the top. It was the first thing he noticed upon entering the room, as the color of the paper was just slightly different than any other envelope he'd ever seen. It was almost grainy it's its appearance and just slightly off-white in color. Had the envelope been ordinary, Aro's handwriting would have easily given away who letter was from, despite having no return address.

He closed his eyes and tapped the corner of the envelope against his fingers. All he could think was, _what now? _He began to hope it was just a congratulations card for Alexandra's wedding, though he knew that wasn't likely so. For big life events, Aro and the Volturi were known for accompanying a letter with a gift. They never strayed from the little tradition.

Outside he could hear Esme calling for Caleb, as he had been actively hunting on his own. What he didn't know was that she, or someone from their family, was always nearby keeping a close eye on him while he was out.

Carlisle stood up from where he sat and glanced out the window, glancing down at Esme as she stood out in the yard with her hands on her hips, looking around the yard. A few seconds later, Caleb crossed over the woods line, pulling up from a run and jogged lazily toward where she stood. They talked for a few seconds before walking slowly toward the house together.

He crossed the room and sat back down on the edge of the couch, becoming slightly mesmerized by the embers that clung to the short pieces of chopped wood that burned behind the metal grate. His fingers traced the edge of the envelope where it had been sealed before he finally began to tear at the paper, removing the note inside.

_Carlisle,_

_I am writing to request an annual meeting with you and/or your coven. While we have had our differences, we have also complimented one another just nicely in tense situations. While I don't think of your coven as enemies nor allies, we keep crossing paths under intense conditions. It is this reason why I believe meeting just to speak cordially and casually would be in the best interested of everyone. One per year, as I've stated, seems as though it would suffice. The location is up for debate, as I will be awaiting your reply. _

_With much sincerity,_

_Aro_

Carlisle stared down at the hand written letter and re-read it again to himself. He didn't see that the request was necessary. He had no desire to meet with Aro or the rest of the Volturi for any reason. The solution seemed simple to him. They should simply stay out of each other's lives as they had for a hundred years, or more.

"What's that about?" Edward asked, walking slowly into the room.

Carlisle removed the hand he'd placed across his forehead and turned around.

"They want to meet with us?" Edward asked again.

He stood up and held the letter out in front of him and Edward took it when he approached, moving his lips just slightly as he read Aro's words.

"Annual?"

Carlisle nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. "We'll have to speak with Alice when she returns."

"Do you think it's some kind of set-up?"

He thought for a moment and shook his head, "A decade ago I would have said no, but I'm not all that sure."

"Just so you know," Edward told him, "Alice has seen Alex and Michael returning here safely. I don't think there's much to worry about with that. They still have their whole week ahead of them down there. They're safe."

Carlisle nodded, "Alright."

"Really," he continued, "I can see it's bothering you now that you got this letter but they're alright, and they'll return that way."

"Thanks," he told him, looking down at the letter in his hands.

Edward handed it back to him. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Carlisle said, shaking his head.

"Location is up for debate," Edward read, looking down.

"I don't want them coming here."

"They'd have a type of home field advantage in Italy."

Carlisle sighed, visibly frustrated, though calm by anyone's typical standards. He sat down again, trying not to let his displeasure show. He didn't care much for meeting up with Aro, and he knew that Jane was still out for blood. Whether she would act on her feelings or not was a question, but he was certain she was still living with fury and hatred upon losing her brother. To add fuel to the fire, her plans against them had fallen and she was almost certainly holding a grudge. Carlisle didn't want Esme anywhere near their coven, and he surely wouldn't let any of his children make the trip. When he really began to think about it, he didn't want any of them in the vicinity of the Volturi for any reason.

"We'll figure things out," Edward told him.

"This doesn't seem like a conflict to me," Carlisle said, "But I haven't been able to read Aro's intentions so clearly as of late." He shook his head. "I wonder if he was at all behind Jane's attack."

"I saw in Jane's thoughts that she was scared of losing Felix for fear of what Aro would do," he said, "She was scared because he didn't give her the command or the okay to come out here for vengeance. We had nothing to do with Alec's death."

Carlisle leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. He folded the note neatly in half before tucking it back into the envelope.

"You and I and Emmett and Jasper can go if we need to," Edward told him, "With Lucy and Seth even."

"I don't want any of us to feel obligated to their requests, not matter how simple they appear on the surface. Nothing is ever simple with Aro." He sighed as a chain of thoughts ran through his mind, "We should all sit down together and discuss this as a family."

Edward nodded in agreement.

"When Alice and Jasper get back," he added. "Do you know where they went?"

He shook his head, "I'm not sure. When I got back here they earlier they weren't here. Bella just happen to mention that they went out."

Carlisle stood up, glancing again once at the fire. He pushed a hand through his hair and stared down at the envelope.

"Esme's coming," Edward said.

The two of them looked toward the door as she made her way casually into the room. Their stares made her slightly uneasy.

"What is it?" she asked, "Alex?"

"No," they said at the same time. Carlisle lifted his hand slightly and held the envelope in the air.

"What's that?" Esme asked him.

"It's a letter from Aro." He crossed the room and handed it to her.

Esme looked him in the eye, then took it from his hand, opening it quickly. Her eyes scanned the paper as she unfolded it, reading just the couple sentences the Volturi leader sent to Carlisle.

"An annual meeting?" she asked him.

He gave her a look, obviously disapproving of the situation. "It's not something I'd care to do," he told her, "But I think we should sit down as a family and discuss it."

Esme nodded, "Why does he feel this is necessary?"

Carlisle put his arm around her shoulders, "I don't know. His motives aren't always clear."

"Alex and Michael are fine," Edward assured Esme, as her thoughts lingered on their well-being. "Alice already has seen their return here."

"What has she said about this?" Esme asked them.

"We haven't talked to her yet," Carlisle said, "She's not home at the moment and I just opened the letter."

The three of them stood in silence for a moment before Carlisle's phone went off. It was a text message from Alice that he showed Esme and Edward, reading: _I'm on my way._


	10. Decisions, Decisions

**Chapter 10**

Esme couldn't focus on the discussion at hand. All she could think of was her daughter. She didn't want to be rude, but everyone understood as she eagerly checked her phone every thirty seconds or so. She waited to hear back from Alexandra upon sending her a series of text messages over the course of the past ten minutes.

Edward kept checking in with Esme's thoughts, unable to pull himself from her mind. She wanted to go down to make sure there was no danger lurking, but didn't want to spoil their honeymoon. Her thoughts favored the first part, but she was conflicted in her mind.

_Maybe if we just went down to Brazil and stayed there for a few days_, she thought._ It wouldn't take us very long to get to the island from there._

"Annual meeting?" Rosalie asked aloud to no one in particular, "Why should we?"

Their discussions had gone round and round on the topic. No one had come to a concrete conclusion, but Carlisle was ready to give the "okay" if it meant keeping the peace. He made this known several times throughout their group talk.

"I agree with Rose," Emmett said. "They fight dirty and then want to talk reason. Jane had no business coming here with Felix and Demetri."

"If we agree to this they may be satisfied," Edward said, "Aro didn't command Jane."

"That's not to say he didn't know," Rosalie argued.

"He didn't," Edward said with certainty, "She was scared to lose Felix because Aro had no idea what they were doing. It's really the only reason she didn't k-" He looked at Carlisle, then Esme, "She just couldn't show up in Italy without Felix."

A silence fell over everyone as they continued to think.

"If we agree to a meeting," Jasper said, "As long as it's not on their territory and we have Alice and Nicole to foresee the outcome, I feel like we should oblige."

Emmett looked over, a little visibly shocked that Jasper's view was in favor of the meetings. Alice looked down, then back up and nodded in agreement.

"I think it might be best," Esme agreed, "If we know in advance that there won't be any manipulation, or the intent to harm anyone. I don't like the idea of meeting with any of them, but if it's just one or two from our family and their coven it might keep the peace." She shrugged.

Carlisle glanced at her from the corner of his eye before he turned at the same time that she did and they made eye contact. As much as he wanted to keep the peace, he wanted no part of meeting with the Volturi voluntarily on a yearly basis.

"They'll make an issue if we deny this," Alice said, "Aro will profoundly express how insulted he is. I admit that it's a power thing. He likes being in control and this is just another tactic."

"So we should just bow down to him?" Rosalie asked.

"I don't think we should be putting our pride ahead of what's smart," Alice went on, "That's all. This just might keep the peace."

"I agree," Jasper said.

Edward seemed to be siding with the two of them and Esme. Bella was on Edward's side no matter what. Rosalie and Emmett both stood firmly opposed, though Emmett nodded when Alice finished the point she was making. Carlisle remained neutral, at least on the surface. Edward could see that he hated the idea of their family meeting with them. He agreed that it would initially keep the peace, but by being under Aro's thumb it was more than pride that was at stake; it was their level of vulnerability.

The Volturi would be setting up and arranging the meetings. They would know the grounds and set the terms. Unlike the Cullens, they weren't exactly known for their warmth and honesty. Things were always subject to change on a whim, for the greater good or bad. The concept of an annual meeting was a roll of the dice. It was a risk.

Carlisle's thoughts swayed in his mind. He'd never let his kids attend, nor Esme. At the same time, he felt as though it wouldn't be right to let any of them put themselves in the potential harm's way. Aro was known for inventing reasons to pursue his ambitions. There were times he was just, but there were times he was not. Carlisle knew the unpredictability that existed and it tormented him.

"Carlisle," Alice said, "I think we should agree. It's just my opinion but Aro is practically sitting on edge waiting for you to reply."

Esme looked over at him, "I hate to say it but I think she's right."

He sighed, knowing he was outnumbered and most of all knowing that Esme's view was supporting the meetings.

"I suppose a scheduled annual meeting wouldn't be a bad thing, considering the other options would probably include something a little less sensible on their end," he said finally. "I don't want to do this, I'll admit; but I do agree with the fact that they will take it personally and respond in ways that will only put us in a position we don't want to find ourselves in."

Rosalie breathed in heavily once and Emmett put a hand on her shoulder.

"I agree with your Rosalie," Carlisle went on, "Believe me, I do..." he shook his head, "For now to keep the peace I'll write back and agree."

Jasper and Alice nodded. Esme put a hand on his forearm. Edward and Bella silently agreed, and Rosalie, for the sake of the family, didn't argue. Emmett, too, nodded once subtly and everyone appeared to at least be on the same page.

"Are we all set?" Carlisle asked, looking around at everyone, "We're all on the same page?"

"Yes," Alice said with a nod.

"Sure," Rosalie added.

There was a general consensus and a final agreement, which allowed Carlisle to stand up from where he sat. He looked at Esme, putting his hand over hers for a moment, as she still let her hand linger on his arm, then headed up toward his office to write out a response.

Edward crossed over to where she stood with Bella at his side. "I've been overhearing your thoughts," he admitted, "And Bella and I sat down just before we started this family talk. We're going down to Brazil to be close to Alex and Michael, just for a peace of mind. They won't even know we're there, but if for some reason Alice's visions change, we'll be close by and we can go meet them, or warn them."

"Edward, you don't have to-"

"Yes we do," he intervened, "It'll make you feel better without Alex feeling like you're imposing on their trip. We won't tell them we're down there. We'll stay on the mainland until just before they come back and we'll make our way home on an earlier flight."

"I don't want to impose on you either," Esme said to them, looking back and forth from one to the other.

"You're not," Bella assured her, "We want to."

"It wouldn't hurt to get away either," Edward admitted with a smile, "And it'll just be a few days. They're scheduled to come home in less than a week."

Esme sighed and smiled, then hugged them both, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Bella said. Edward nodded and kept an hand on her arm, "Oh, and he's not mad you."

"Huh?" Esme asked.

"Carlisle," Edward told her, "I just saw you ask yourself that. He's not mad at you. I don't think he's ever been mad at you." A smile formed on his face.

Esme grinned sheepishly, "I didn't even realize I was thinking that."

"Well, he's not. Just so you know."

Bella smiled, "Yeah, I couldn't picture him being mad at you... ever."

Esme sighed again and smiled, "Well, thank you. Really. You don't have to go to Brazil either. Alice said things were fine."

"We're going to go back and book the flight now," Edward told her. He pulled her in for a second hug, "We'll keep in touch on the way."

"Okay," she said with a nod then repeated, "Thank you."

The two of them waved and made their way out of the house. Esme walked up the stairs and found Carlisle already sealing the envelope that would be going to Italy. He glanced up at her as she walked in.

"They're going to Brazil?" he asked, "Edward and Bella?"

She nodded, "They offered."

Carlisle sighed, "That makes me feel better."

"Me too."

He tossed the envelop on the desk and looked at her, then pulled her in for a kiss without much of a warning. Esme looked surprised at first but melted in his touch. Her eyes closed for a moment before he pulled away.

"For the record," he said, "I'm not at all mad at you."

Esme looked down again shyly, "I didn't even realize-"

Carlisle kissed her again, then kept her face close to his as his arms lingered around her, "You have the right to your opinion on any and all matters. I'd never be mad at you for expressing them."

She felt her heart flutter and smiled at him. He hadn't changed in the century that she'd known him. His willingness to hear her voice and take a true interest in what she had to say was what made her fall for him in the first place.

Esme wrapped her arms around him his back tighter and pulled him close in a hug. "Thank you. I love you."

"I love you, too," Carlisle told her.

The two of them stood locked together for another few seconds before they each pulled away and shared one more kiss. Regardless of the decision that was made, they were happy to do it as a family.


	11. Numb

**Chapter 11**

Five days after the talk of the Volturi, a day of hunting had gone terribly wrong. Carlisle could see them in the distance. Emmett couldn't get there fast enough. He was running with Rosalie at full speed but there was nothing either of them would be able to do. Caleb and Mackenzie ran at Carlisle's side but he demanded them to turn around and go back. Neither listened. They looked as determined as he was. Caleb was nearly crying but held it in as he saw his mother struggling in a fight with Aro up ahead in a clearing.

"Go back!" Carlisle demanded. His voice was unusally hard. He couldn't have the children in harm's way.

"We can't," Mackenzie demanded back. She sounded apologetic in her responce but they kept at Carlisle's side knowing he wouldn't stop for anything.

Caleb huffed and sighed and showed signs of emotion as a tear streaked down his cheek, drying immediately from the force of the wind.

What happened next was like a blur. From the corner of his eye, Carlisle caught a glimpse of Edward. He was alone.

The thought passed through his mind, _I thought he went to Brazil._

"Aro, no!" Edward screamed. His voice was shrill and at that moment Carlisle had never felt more fearful. He knew whatever Edward had read in Aro's mind was perhaps the most terrible thing he'd ever had to hear.

Carlisle felt like his feet were trapped in cement. He couldn't do anything.

"Bella!" Edward called next, "Bella, where are you?"

Her voice was heard in the distance. The far, far distance.

"Esme, we're coming!" Alice's voice was just as shrill as Edward's. It cut through Carlisle's soul like a knife because it rang with helpless alarm.

A fire was already burning behind where Esme fought her hardest to keep Aro from getting a grip on her head and shoulders. She knew she needed to hold on for a few more minutes, but didn't know if she could.

_Keep fighting_, Carlisle begged her in his mind. He looked down toward his legs and demanded they go faster.

It was the next moment that left him breathless, speechless, heartbroken... With a sickening cracking sound, Esme lost her battle with Aro. He held her head in between his hands just as Jane appeared and tossed it to her. She smiled coldly and stared into the depths of Carlisle's eyes before letting go above the flames.

"Mom!" Caleb cried mercilessly, "Mom! Mommy! No!" It had been months and months since Caleb had used the phrase "Mommy" but it rolled off his tongue so easily.

Carlisle froze as Volturi members began emerged from all angles and Aro disposed of the rest of his wife's body. His mouth hung open and his senses stopped working. He couldn't hear or feel. All that was left was his sight. He couldn't see Esme anymore. All he could see was the fire; the flames. And Aro, Jane, Caius, Marcus and Felix. They stood tightly packed together as a unit, all eyes on him.

He turned his head slowly, spinning the world before him in slow-motion. Caleb was screaming and tears streamed out of his eyes as he fought and clawed as Mackenzie held him back from attacking. All Carlisle could see was his son's expression. He couldn't hear the screams that he knew were pouring from his mouth.

Edward was suddenly in his face and snapped him halfway back to reality. Before he even heard Edward screaming his name, he heard Caleb's cries; his tormented screams.

"Carlisle." Edward's voice was surprisingly soothing and calm. It almost seemed to echo. He sounded light years away. "Carlisle." His voice came in more clearly.

Carlisle lifted his eyes to meet Edward's. He was looking at him like he didn't know who he was. He saw through him; past him. He wasn't in his right mind. His ears were ringing and he felt dead inside.

In the background he made out the blurry figures of his family fighting toe to toe with the Volturi members. He had no idea who had the advantage and he regrettably didn't care. He felt nothing.

Bella knelt in front of Caleb and had her hands on the sides of his face. "Caleb," she said, visibly choked up, "Look at me Caleb."

His teeth grinded and he cried and fought, then let his body go limp as he sobbed. Reactively he threw his arms around Bella and buried his face against her shirt. She looked up at Edward, not knowing what to do.

Carlisle continued to stare blankly. He couldn't come to terms with what he just witnessed. His mind refused to process it.

"Carlisle," Edward said, "Caleb..." He turned his head to where Bella still held Carlisle and Esme's son. "We have to get him out of here."

_Caleb_, Carlisle thought, _Caleb we have to get him out of here._ He repeated Edward's phrase in his mind several times before his head turned to the side and his eyes fixed on his son. _What kind of a father am I? I have to protect him._

Carlisle looked back once at Edward then dropped to his knees next to Bella. Caleb immediately threw his arms around him and Carlisle hugged him fiercely. His heart felt like it had quite literally been ripped out of his chest. The nothingness he felt was now at least taken over by the worst sadness he could ever feel. His son was hysterical in his arms and he didn't know what to do. Anger hadn't kicked into his system, but he knew it was the only thing that could jump-start his body again. He didn't have it in him to feel that way yet. He was numb.

"Shield him! Shield him!" Edward screamed.

Bella looked Carlisle in the eye and stood up.

"Now Bella!" Edward called out again.

Jacob, in wolf form, had joined them and was struggling to stay on four legs as Jane inflicted her nasty powers against him. A moment later he jolted back to life and Jane glared across the woods at Bella.

Edward squatted down next to Carlisle, "Take him home. Go home, Carlisle."

He shook his head and didn't speak. It was as if he'd forgotten the human language.

"You have to get Caleb away."

"She's..." Carlisle shook his head again and felt his grip tighten on the back of Caleb's shirt.

"Daddy," he cried.

The pain in the single word was another speck of life and Carlisle managed to get to his feet.

Edward looked him in the eye with sympathy, but stayed strong, "Take him to the house. Leah and Masen are there. We'll send the pack to protect you."

"Masen..." Carlisle's mouth hung open, "Can he?" His eyes looked at Caleb, "Can they fix her?"

Edward knew the answer, but didn't share it. Carlisle knew from the look on his face that his doubts were right on. He knew Esme couldn't come back from what had happened. It was beyond the control of their sons.

Alice joined the group in a hurry and had tears in her eyes despite the anger that flashed in her expression. She put a hand lovingly on Carlisle's face, "Please take him home. You have to get him out of here."

Carlisle lifted a hand and placed it over Alice's on his face.

"Go!" she told him, "Go, you have to. Take Caleb to safety. Come back if you need to but take him back to the house."

_Take Caleb to safety. Come back if you need to._ Her words seemed to agree with his brain and he looked at Alice and Edward and final time before taking off toward their home.


	12. Reality

**Chapter 12**

"Carlisle," her voice sounded far away but he couldn't mistake it for anyone else's. "Carlisle."

His eyes flickered open and he sat up abruptly and took in his surroundings. Everything was dark, aside from the glow of the television and he felt as if there was a weight laying on his chest until he saw her.

"Esme?"

She almost giggled at the out-of-it expression on his face and ran a hand through his messy hair and kissed his forehead. "You were twitching in your sleep. Are you okay?"

"In my sleep?" he processed everything at once and looked at her again with adoring shock and brought her in for a hug softly. His hand moved up and down her back and he sighed in a deep breath.

"Alex..." Esme said, finally letting out a little chuckle. She pulled back and ran a hand through his hair a second time. When she took in his expression again, she felt bad for laughing. Simultaneously, she felt his hand shaking against her back. "Carlisle, it's me, are you okay honey?"

He swallowed hard and laid flat down on his back and placed a hand over his face for a moment. He still felt overwhelmed from the vivid nature of his nightmare and needed a moment to catch back up with reality.

Esme sat on the edge of the bed and ran her hand soothingly down his bare chest, then switched to his arm before bringing her hand back to his face.

"Alex is back?" he asked.

She nodded, "We talked to her remember?"

Carlisle closed his eyes and tried to process reality. The memory of he and Esme speaking with their daughter re-entered his mind, though he hadn't remembered going to sleep. The last thing he remembered was watching television whiles Esme folded clothes.

"I didn't even realize I fell asleep," he told her, sighing again.

"Did you have a bad dream?" she looked down and took his hand in her own, recognizing his hand was still shaking.

He let his eyes fully adjust to the darkness and glanced up at her.

"It's okay," she told him, "Whatever it was it was just a dream."

Carlisle thought of how unnatural dreams were to their kind. Humans experienced a dream sequence most, or all, nights. It was only on a rare occasion when he found himself asleep that he dreamed. "It just, I don't know..." His sentence drifted away from him and he sat back up.

Esme hugged him again and rubbed his back, "You're okay." She placed a hand on his face and kissed him once gently.

Carlisle closed his eyes, feeling like he was kissing her for the first time. His tense body relaxed just slightly, though he hadn't completely calmed down from the nightmare. From somewhere else in the house he heard Caleb and Emmett arguing playfully over what he assumed was a video game.

_Everything's alright,_ he told himself.

Edward knocked on the partially open door and let himself in. Bella was just behind him and held his hand. "Sorry," he said, putting his free hand up.

Esme stood up from where she sat on the edge of the mattress and clicked on one of the smaller lamps in the room. "You can come in," she told him, knowing he must have been reading Carlisle's mind.

Carlisle looked around and recognized the sweatshirt he had been wearing prior to falling asleep was at the end of the bed and grabbed it, throwing it on as they entered. He then got up and stretched his hand high above his head.

"Alice didn't have a vision, did she?" Carlisle asked Edward.

He shook his head, "No," then restated Esme's claim, "You were just dreaming, Carlisle."

He sighed heavily again and cleared his throat. Esme was intrigued and wanted to know the nature of his dream.

"I just want to make sure I didn't just have a type of premonition or something."

Edward shook his head again, "The two of us just talked. She wanted me to let you know that it was nothing. Just a nightmare," then added, "Jasper had to leave because of all the anxiety and sadness you were putting out." He smiled quickly, then let it fade.

Carlisle felt a dampness around his eyes and didn't know if he'd been unconsciously crying while he slept. "Well..." he shrugged, "I'll let it go." He looked at Esme again and Edward could read his deep, loving thoughts for her. He had a lingering fear for her safety and kept thinking he didn't want her hunting alone.

From downstairs Jasper called up, "That was worse than being around Edward before Bella arrived." His words drew a laugh from Rosalie.

"I guess he's back," Edward said with a shrug.

Carlisle couldn't find the humor in everything just yet, but the fact that everyone else did gave him a sense of relief. It just added to the fact that everything he'd seen was just a picture drawn up in in unconscious mind. It wasn't real.

"What did you dream?" Esme asked him finally.

Edward and Bella looked at each other and Carlisle pushed his hair back once. "I'll tell ya about it later," he glanced over at her. "Is that alright?"

Esme nodded, "Of course."

Edward gave them each a closed mouth smile, "Well, I didn't want to impose, I just wanted to kind of calm you down a bit and let you know that Alice said she hasn't seen anything like that."

Carlisle nodded, "Thanks." He sighed, "I guess I've been really overthinking that letter Aro sent." He shook his head.

Edward and Bella excused themselves from the room and Esme made her way across to Carlisle. She put her arms around the back of his neck. While the shake of his hands had died down, she still felt how edgy he was.

"Maybe we made the wrong call with the annual meetings with the Volturi," he said, looking down for a moment, then back up.

Esme didn't pull away, "What did you dream, Carlisle?"

He shook his head, "You... were... I just couldn't get to you in time and Aro... Caleb was there too."

She could see he didn't want to talk about it and kissed him. "Try to forget about it."

"I will," he said with a nod.

Esme gently touched the side of his face and continued to kiss him, doing her best to take his thoughts away from what he couldn't even bring himself to describe.

Carlisle let his hands drift to her hips and fully got his wife's signals as she pressed herself tighter against him but he stopped and nearly snickered.

Esme smiled, glad to see that he could laugh at least a little bit. "What?" she asked him.

He shook his head, "I don't even know if I can physically... do this right this second."

She laughed lightly with him and kissed him once more.

"Sorry." Carlisle raised his eyebrows and looked down, then back up to her.

Esme put a hand on the side of his face. She continued to smile, "I'll have to come up with something else then to take your mind off of things."

"It's not you," he said, shaking his head again. His hands squeezed around her hips, "It's just... me... right now. I don't know."

"Want to talk a walk?" she asked him, not parting from him.

Carlisle looked into her eyes and nodded. He leaned in and kissed her once chastely. "I love you so much."

Esme smiled, "I love you too."

He took her hand and led her out of their room.

"Caleb, want to go for a walk?" he called, glancing in where he was still challenging Emmett to a game.

"Nah, I'm good," he said back nonchalantly. His eyes never left the screen.

Carlisle stared at how carefree his son looked; far different than in quite literally his worst nightmare. He smiled and Mackenzie laughed with Rosalie from the corner of the room where they were talking quietly.

"Shut up Mac," Caleb called, pressing a button several times in a row.

"Caleb Edward!" Esme said.

Emmett paused the game and they both looked up at her.

Esme stood with a less-than-thrilled expression on her face.

"Sorry," Caleb said.

She pointed to Mackenzie, who he reluctantly looked at gave a half-hearted apology. Rosalie looked at Esme and smiled. Carlisle grinned to himself and pulled Esme out of the room with him as the video game picked back up.

He kept her hand securely in his and they waved to Edward and Bella as they exited the house through the front door.

"Where do you want to walk to?" she asked him, looking up at the starry sky.

"Anywhere with you." Carlisle looked her in the eye and the stopped to share a brief embrace under the full moon before continuing their walk to where ever they ended up.


	13. Home Away From Home

**Hope you guys don't hate me too much for the last 2 chapters lol... I hope people were happy the way it turned out... I know I pulled a BD part 2 :)**

**Chapter 13**

Carlisle felt a lot better once he and Esme returned to the house after wandering around for nearly an hour. They'd received no anxious calls from family members and there was nothing on the horizon that rang with alarm. He it stand that it must have been his mind's own way of dealing with the stress he'd felt about Aro's letter.

Before they completely cleared the woods, Esme gave a little tug on his hand and Carlisle glanced over at her and smile. He stopped them for a moment to kiss her, pulling her close to him and sighed into the kiss as he broke it.

Esme's hand lingered on his face, "Better?"

He nodded and kissed her once more, then took her hand again and headed through the yard and inside.

Alex was waiting for them when they walked in, sitting on the arm rest of one of the chairs in the living room. She dashed over and looked at her father apologetically. "Dad!" she said, "I'm so sorry for putting you to sleep. I know you've been stressing because of the whole Volturi thing so I figured you needed some time to rest your mind. I didn't know-"

He chuckled and broke her off mid-sentence. "It's alright, Alex. It was just a dream. People have good ones and bad ones all the time."

"Yeah, but-"

"We're glad you're back home and safe." He looked at Esme, wondering about their new house, but didn't say anything.

She smiled and nodded, then changed the subject to something more positive. "So, how come you guys don't live down there? Or why don't all of us live down there? It's the best place on earth."

They both smiled and shrugged.

"I could spend all day, every day on the beach," Alex went on, "And jumping down those waterfalls... it's so gray here."

Esme laughed and hugged her daughter, "It's more special if you only take a trip here and there. It makes it more fun and exciting."

She nodded, "Yeah you're right."

Alex finished her conversation with them before scampering back to get comfortable on the couch. Carlisle motioned for Esme to join him in the kitchen. He found a piece of paper and a pen in one of their junk drawers and wrote a message to her so their daughter wouldn't hear it.

Esme read it in her mind. _Are you going to tell them about the house?_ Her eyes lit up, "Yes!" she said, "I almost forgot."

Carlisle laughed quietly.

"Want to come with me now?" she whispered.

He nodded and she towed him by the hand into the living room. Michael sat showed Caleb something in a soccer magazine and Alex chatted with Nicole and Mackenzie across the room. The television was on but none of them seemed to be paying much attention to it.

"Alex," Esme said, waving her hand. She looked over to Michael, "Michael..."

They both looked up. Alex's eyes were inquisitive and Michael looked slightly anxious.

"Will you come with us for a moment?" she asked them.

Michael handed Caleb the magazine and stood up.

"Sure," Alex left the girls and joined her parents. "Is this good or bad?"

Carlisle couldn't hide a smile and Alex smirked too upon seeing his. Michael seemed to relax a bit and followed as Esme led them all outside.

"Where are we going?" Alex asked them.

"You'll see," Esme told her. She glanced at Carlisle, "Should we walk or drive?"

"I suppose another walk wouldn't hurt," he said.

She grinned and nodded.

"Uh oh Michael," Alexandra said, "This type of scenario always ends up with bad news for us in the movies."

He laughed with her and she entwined her fingers with his. Carlisle and Esme walked side by side just ahead of them. The passed the school building and headed out close to the Quileute line, though didn't cross over it.

Through the trees, Alex could see a single light on in the distance. "Tell me you didn't get us a house..."

Carlisle looked over at Esme, letting a smile spread across his face again. Esme couldn't hold hers in this time and spun around to face them.

"Did you?" Alexandra asked with excitement.

They both laughed and nodded.

"Really?"

Michael swallowed, "Wow. You didn't have to do this." He shook his head.

"I love how I got a house and Masen didn't," Alexandra said with a laugh.

Esme quickly corrected her, "Masen was already stayed with Leah. Her mother gave them the house they have now."

"I know, I know," she said, "I'm just teasing."

Michael held his hand out and shook Carlisle's, "Thank you so much. You guys do too much for us, and for everyone."

"It's our pleasure," he said, "And thank Esme, not me. She's the one who designed it."

"With the help of Alice of course," Esme told them.

"Of course," Alex and Michael said at the same time, then both thanked them again.

Carlisle and Esme continued the walk with them and Esme opened the front door with a single silver key. She then handed it to Alex and removed a second one from the pocket of her jeans to give to Michael.

"It's all yours," she said, extending her arm outward, "I hope you like it."

Alex's eyes lit up as she looked around and flipped a light on. "I _love_ it." She turned and hugged Esme, "Oh my gosh Mom." She shoko her head.

Michael's eyes landed on an elegant modern fireplace, before scanning the rest of the living room. "Wow," he shook his head.

Carlisle patted him once on the back. The two of them gave them a tour of the place; the men going in one direction and the women in the other. Alex gushed over everything and laughed with Esme.

"This is so awesome," Alexandra said, "It's amazing. It's perfect." She joked around, "Does this mean you're kicking us out?"

"Of course not," Esme said, giving her a hug, "You can stay with us whenever you want, but you have here too."

"Thanks Mom." They smiled at each other before Michael and Carlisle joined back up with them.

They all stood in silence for a moment before Alex and Michael broke it with a laugh.

"Well," Esme said, "We're going to head back. Check the place out. Stay, come home. Whatever you want to do. Have the other kids by..."

They nodded. "Thank you again," Michael said to them, giving Esme a hug and sharing another handshake with Carlisle.

"You're welcome," they said at the same time.

Carlisle hugged Alexandra before he and Esme made their way back outside. They heard Alex's immediate screams of excitement as they got a few feet out the door and Michael began to laugh. Esme could visualize her daughter jumping up and down and hugging Michael in the process.

"Well, that went well," she said, smiling as she linked her arm through Carlisle's.

"Yeah, I thought they'd be upset," he joked, then shared a quick laugh with Esme.

They strolled lazily back to their house together. Carlisle glanced over a few times and saw Esme's radiant expression. She looked truly happy.

"Why don't we cuddle up and watch a movie?" she suggested. "I'll try to get Caleb to join us but he's been wanting to less and less."

He snickered, "Alright. And yes, he's about on point with the other two when they started to distance themselves from us a bit."

"Mmm..." she nodded and agreed that it was a bittersweet feeling, but a good one nonetheless. All of the kids were growing up, or grown up.

When they walked through the door, Caleb greeted the two of them. The both smiled, but quickly realized he was about to ask for permission to leave the house.

"Can I go out with Emmett and Jasper?"

"Go where?" Esme asked.

"I don't know, they're going out and said I could go if you let me."

They looked at each other. "You don't want to watch a movie with us?" Carlisle asked.

"Can we do that later?"

He sighed and Esme nodded, "Okay. Where are they?"

"Jas! Emmett!" he called out.

The two of them entered the living room where they all stood. "Please? Please? Please?" Emmett joked, hearing the first part of their conversation.

"Where are you going?" Esme asked them.

"Hunting," Jasper said, "And maybe for a cliff dive and a swim before the sun comes up."

"Can I please go?" Caleb asked them.

"It's up to you," Carlisle said, looking at Esme as she glanced at him.

"We'll be fine," Emmett assured her coolly. He smiled put a hand on Caleb's head as he towered over him.

"Okay," she said, "When are you planning on being back?" She looked at the clock that read nearly one o'clock in the morning.

"Before sunrise," Emmett said, "Five-ish."

"Four hours of swimming and cliff diving huh?" Carlisle asked.

"And hunting," Caleb told him.

"Alright," Esme said, "Please don't make me worry." She eyed Emmett first, then looked at Jasper. They both agreed and Esme gave Caleb a hug before the three of them went howling into the night.

Carlisle began to laugh as Esme watched them go, "Definitely over hanging out with Mom and Dad," he said.

"Yeah," she agreed. "Definitely."

They glanced at the television that had been left on.

"Pick a movie, "Carlisle told Esme. She turned toward the small cabinet that was filled with DVDs and nodded while Carlisle settled himself on the couch.

She took a minute or two to decide, then started up the DVD player and tossed him the remote.

"Ehh, it's not so bad just me and you for a few hours," he said with a sigh, pulling her so she rested comfortably on his chest.

"Don't fall asleep on me," she joked.

Carlisle smiled, finally able to find some humor in his bad reaction to the nightmare he'd had a few hours before. "I won't."

Esme laid quietly against him as the movie started and felt comfortable and safe in the warmth of his chest. She reached up and tossed a blanket over them as they remained bundled up in their matching-colored hooded sweatshirts.

"Life doesn't get much better than this," she told him, glancing up at him with just her eyes.

He smiled and leaned down just enough so he could kiss her. "I can fully agree with that."

Esme looked around, hearing the faint sound of her family's voices in the house, though no one was nearby. "We should have started a fire," she told him quietly.

Carlisle nodded and agreed.

She adjusted herself so she was more eye level with him and kissed him once more, making it last. "I love you," she said, "Sorry I was teasing you about your dream."

He smiled and moved his hand up to her face, "It's alright. I love you too."

Esme continued her mild pursuit of him throughout the opening previews that they failed to fast-forward through, then they remained snuggled up together no the couch until the boys came back at sunrise.


	14. Preparation

**Chapter 14**

"Next month," Carlisle said to Esme, "That's when he wants to meet with us."

"Aro?"

He nodded and handed her a response to the letter he had written back to the Volturi leader.

"Where?" she asked him, letting her eyes scan the piece of paper.

"Maine," he responded, "Our in the deep woods somewhere. I looked up the location on a Google map."

Esme looked at him, "If you're going, I'd like to."

Carlisle shook his head, "I don't want you near them."

"I could say the same," she told him, "I don't what you near them either."

"Can I compromise with you?" he asked her.

Esme looked at him and waited for him to continue.

"You make the trip but stay in a hotel while we discuss everything an hour away."

"An hour?" she asked him. "What if I need to get to you in time?"

"What about Caleb?" he asked. "You should stay here in Forks with Caleb."

"What if they send others here while you're away?"

Carlisle was about to speak before she finished the thought but he stopped and wasn't sure what to say to her question. "There are a hundred scenarios we could run into." His jaw tensed and he looked down at the hardwood floor beneath his feet.

"This says it's going to be Aro, Marcus and Jane," Esme told him.

He nodded.

"Why Jane?" she asked.

"Aro always has a reason. I wonder if he knows about their trip here."

"You don't think this has anything to do with Helen and Micah, do you?"

Carlisle shook his head, but gave a little shrug at the same time, "I don't think so, but I really don't know."

"Who is going to meet with them from our side?" Esme asked him.

"Bella and I," Edward said, sneaking up so quickly he made Esme flinch.

She smiled at him for a moment, as he sensed he startled her. Edward smiled back.

"Emmett won't want to be left out, I'm sure," Esme added.

"Jasper and I will go to the hotel with you and Caleb," Alice offered, joining where everyone stood. "I'll keep everyone updated on what's going on, but as I've said before, I've seen our side and theirs parting ways without a fight. Nicole is staying back and everyone else is prepared to stay together. Alex, Michael, Will, Maddy."

"Lucy has already said she would attend any meetings since receiving the first message," Bella told them, "She wants to go and that means Seth probably will too."

"We're good," Alice told him, "I can see certain differences in your facial expressions, but that's the extent of it. No real confrontations."

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked her.

"The expressions on everyone's faces aren't overly... happy."

"That's expected," Edward said.

Alice nodded in agreement. "So Carlisle, Edward, Bella, Emmett, Lucy and Seth. That's who I see meeting with them."

"They won't feel threatened by our numbers?" Carlisle asked.

She shook her head, "He doesn't consider Lucy one of us. Seth either."

He nodded, making sense of the logic.

"Nothing will be happening here out of the ordinary?" Esme asked, "I don't want to leave Alex and Nicole or Mackenzie... any of them."

"They'll be fine," Alice said, "We can always have the Denalis on speed dial."

"Why don't we call Kate and Garrett?"

"Emmett and Rosalie go out on hunting dates with them. I'm sure Em won't mind giving Garrett a ring."

"A ring?" Emmett's voice called up from the floor below, "I'm already married to Rose. I can't give him a _ring_."

Alice looked at Esme and a smile crossed her face as she got the nature of his joke.

"You're hilarious!" Alice called to him.

"I know."

Caleb scampered into the room and slammed his hands down on the table they had all inadvertently gathered around. "Fill me in. What's the plan?"

Bella looked at Edward and giggled. They laughed together for a moment and Carlisle shook his head and grinned.

"The plan is for you, your mother, Alice and Jasper to hang out in a hotel room out in Maine together for a couple of hours."

"Oh, don't forget us," Rosalie said, entering the room with Mackenzie, "Emmett's going to be in the 'talking' group, so we'll have to hunker down in the hotel."

Mackenzie looked at Caleb and smiled, and he shook his head. "We might knock the place to the ground," he said, "Mac's going to pick a fight with me like always." He made a face at her and she shook her head.

"Please little man."

"Little man? I'm older than you."

"Only in human years."

Rosalie looked at her daughter, "Cut it out."

Caleb raised his eyebrows and looked at her, then to his parents as he tried to hide his smile.

"Is Willy coming too?" Mackenzie asked.

Rosalie looked at Alice for a moment, who shook her head. "They'll be fine," Alice added, "Hence Kate and Garrett."

"Maybe I could stay with him and Maddy for a couple days?" she asked her mother, "I've never been away from home."

"Well, you haven't been around all that long," Rosalie told her, "In the grand scheme of things."

"I'll call William right now," Caleb offered, "Beg him to let you stay."

"Stop being mean to Mackenzie," Carlisle told him.

"We've talked about this," Esme added.

"You're coming with us," Rosalie told her, "You're not staying with your brother."

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because for one, you're not quite mature enough to be without us yet. You weren't even alive at this time last year," Rosalie explained, "And two, you've never seen the world. You're going to get to go to the east coast for the first time. There is a world outside of Forks, Washington."

"Mom-"

"End of discussion," she said, "You can go ask your father, but he'll agree with me I'm sure." Rosalie overemphasized the second half of her sentence to make sure Emmett heard her.

"Do what you mother says," he called up, "No if's, and's or but's about it."

"Alright," Mackenzie agreed with a shrug. Edward could see it was mainly because she didn't want to put up a fight in front of everyone.

"So, to Maine then?" Carlisle asked.

Everyone was on the same page and began getting mentally prepared for the journey across the country.

Caleb jumped up and slapped the top of the door frame as he exited the room, "Woo! Airplane. Yeah!"

Esme snickered and looked at Carlisle, who smiled at her and laughed back. "The wild child," he said, shaking his head.

Rosalie let a smile spread across her face, and Alice and Bella shared a laugh.

"He's the spitting image of Masen at that age," Alice said to them.

Rosalie nodded and looked over as Mackenzie slunk her way out of the room. "He really is," she agreed, "Is it weird to think they may have a crush on each other?"

"A little," Edward said with a laugh.

Rosalie shrugged and smiled, "Are we all set regarding our meeting with Aro?" she asked.

Everyone nodded and intended to mentally prepare for whatever the Volturi was preparing.


	15. Half and Half

**Chapter 15**

All month Carlisle kept Esme closer than normal, and despite his pleas, he didn't allow Caleb to go out into the woods to hunt on his own. While he acknowledged that his dream was just that, a dream, it scared him in a way that hadn't allowed him to back off completely. The only thing that kept him from Alex's house was knowing that Michael was there to protect her. He had all the faith in the world in his son-in-law as a protector of his daughter. That didn't keep him from calling and checking in quite often.

Esme finished packing their bags and got Caleb some magazines, an I-pod and stacked a few books he liked to read for the airplane ride. She proceeded to give him a motherly lecture about how to act on the airplane and in public in front of people. While at first he seemed let it go in one ear and out the other, his demeanor changed to more serious when her tone changed to signify that she wasn't kidding.

Everyone who wasn't making the trip saw them off. Alex helped her mother pack the cars they were taking to the airport and Michael kept Caleb occupied while everyone was all over the place getting ready. William and Madison were both leaned up against the Jeep talking with Mackenzie upon getting the oversized car packed.

"I wanted to stay with you guys," she said quietly, playing with a small patch of dirt beneath her sneaker.

"Mom wouldn't let you?" William asked her.

She shook her head, "She said I'm not mature enough."

"It's not you," Madison told her, "It's because _this _one got us into all sorts of trouble when we were your age." She pointed to William with her thumb and smiled.

"It'll be good to travel," her brother went on, "I think you'll have a good time."

She shrugged, "Yeah, I guess it won't be all that bad."

Seth's car pulled up in the driveway and he stepped out with Luciana. "Guess we're not going to your party," he said with a smile, holding a hand up for William.

William's eyes widened and he put a finger up to his lips.

"Party?" Mackenzie asked.

"What party?" Rosalie asked, flying out of nowhere into their circle.

"Huh?" William asked. Seth made a face as if to say "sorry".

She shook her head, "You're all staying here to make sure nothing happens William."

"Yeah, I know," he said.

"No parties," Emmett piggybacked onto what she was saying. His voice was surprisingly stern. "You don't know what's going to happen with this thing."

"Alice said-"

"_I_ say," Rosalie said, pointing to her chest, "If I find out you disobeyed us there will be consequences William. I don't care if you're grown up and married, I'm your mother and you'll listen to me."

Seth stood to the side of him looking a little scared of her tone, equally intimidated by Emmett's power stance with his hands folded across his bulky chest. Luciana glanced at Seth from the corner of her eye.

"Fine," William said.

"Maddy's parents are coming down here tonight anyway," Emmett told them, "Party's over."

Nicole walked behind Rosalie and Emmett's backs and made a worried face and shrugged at William and Madison, but kept walking.

"I can't believe you'd even _think_ of doing that while we're all out meeting with Aro," Rosalie went on. She balled up her fists and put them on her hips.

"I thought nothing was going to happen," William said, "Alice and Nicole said so."

Rosalie looked at Emmett and shook her head before heading back inside. Emmett looked at his son with a less than thrilled expression.

Masen and Leah rushed up to the house with Cassandra. All of them were on foot.

"Hey," Masen said to everyone he saw, "Where's my dad?"

"Inside," Emmett told him.

Carlisle came out through the front door upon hearing his son's voice.

"Dad," he said, "Do you need me to go?"

He shook his head, "We'll be fine. It's just a meeting."

"What if they try something?"

"I would hate for it to come to that, but Caleb has the same gift as you."

"He's too young." Masen shook his head.

"We'll be fine," Carlisle assured him. He looked toward Cassandra, who had made her way to where the younger members of their family were father. "Stay with your family. We need to make sure everything is secure here."

"Hey Pop!" Cassandra waved to Carlisle.

He smiled and took a few steps as she jogged in his direction. She gave him a big hug.

"You need to visit more," he told her.

"I know," she said with a nod, "I wanted to talk to you about something... when you get back."

"Okay," he said.

"It's about college," Cassandra went on, "I was thinking in a few years I might try to go to a University somewhere."

Carlisle smiled and nodded, "I'd love to talk to you about that."

She smiled, "I'd like to be a nurse some day."

He continued to smile, "We'll have to have a long talk. I think that's a great idea."

Masen shared a glance with his father and they both smiled at each other.

Cassandra smiled at both of them, "Be careful."

"We will," Carlisle told her, "There shouldn't be any problems."

She nodded and glanced over to where William stood with a scowl as he talked quietly with Madison, Seth and Lucy.

"Go cheer him up," Masen told her, "Tell him to apologize to Rosalie before everyone leaves."

"I'll try," Cassandra said with a smile. She shrugged and made her way back to where they all stood.

"She looks a lot like both of you," Carlisle told his son, "Leah's features are more dominant but she has your smile and the color of your eyes."

Masen grinned, "She's definitely her mother's daughter... minus the sassiness."

Carlisle laughed lightly and Masen chuckled.

"She's pretty laidback like me," he told his father, "But she does stand up for herself, I have to say. Those boys down on the reservation don't know what they're in for when they tease her or try to pull punches."

He nodded, "That's good. She should be standing up for herself."

"Those boys though," Masen shook his head, "They're lined up at the door. I can't take it."

Carlisle laughed and put a hand on his back.

"She turns the all down though, which I don't mind."

"She shouldn't settle," Carlisle told him, "She's a smart young lady."

"She really is," he nodded, "She's got it together."

They both looked up as Esme walked out the door with Alex, Michael and Caleb.

"Mase!" Caleb said, "What's up man?"

Carlisle laughed and Masen held up a hand for him to high-five. Esme hugged Masen tightly for a moment and smiled at him.

"Hey Mom," he said with a wide smile, "I already asked dad, but are you sure you don't need me to go?"

She shook her head, "You need to be here with Leah and Cassie."

"Call me if anything changes," he told her.

"We will."

"Congrats on the house," Masen said to Alex and Michael.

"Thanks," Alex said with a smile.

"Thank you," Michael told him just after.

Masen gave his sister a quick hug and shook Michael's hand.

Rosalie continued to storm around the driveway, closing the back of Emmett's Jeep with a little extra emphasis as she threw in a final backpack into the back.

"What's Rose upset about?" Esme asked them quietly.

"If I heard correctly," Carlisle said, "I thought I overheard William's plans to throw a party while we were all away and Rosalie wasn't happy about it."

"Oh boy," Alexandra said.

"Did you hear about it?" Esme asked her.

"Um.. well yeah, but he didn't quite say party," she said, "We were going to all just kind of hang out together."

She sighed, but didn't want to get into the issue just before leaving.

"Please be smart," Carlisle told Alex. He looked at Michael next, who nodded several times in a row.

"We'll keep an eye on each other," Masen told his parents, "Don't worry."

Esme smiled at him, knowing he was being sincere. He'd grown up so much and she fully trusted his decision making. Masen gave his mother a little wink, then looked at Alex. "I have the power to arrest you if need be," he teased.

She laughed and shrugged, "Maybe Michael and I can come by your house tonight? Or wait, better idea, why don't you come to ours? I'll cook for Leah and Cassie."

"Cook?" he laughed, "Cook what?"

Alex let her mouth drop, then smiled and swatted him, "I've helped Mom cook before." She looked to Esme for confirmation.

"She has," Esme told Masen, "And she's very good."

Masen laughed, "Alright. I'll give ya a chance, but don't poison them."

She looked down and laughed, "You'll be pleasantly surprised."

"I'm sorry Mom," William's voice made them all stop talking. He grabbed Rosalie's hand and gently pulled her toward the front door before they disappeared into the house. Though she still appeared a little flustered, the fact that she let him pull her away was a good sign that she would be forgiving him shortly.

Cassandra looked across the way and gave Masen and Carlisle a thumbs up, as if to say she got William to apologize and make amends with his mother prior to their trip to New England.

"Load em up!" Jasper called, draping an arm around Nicole's shoulders for a moment before Alice adjusted the cute knit hat she wore pulled down over her ears.

Everyone took their turns parting ways with the half of their family that was staying. Rosalie and William were on good terms, and left with a hug and a pair of smiles. Masen and Alexandra stood together with their spouses and Cassandra, waving off their parents and everyone else as they left.


	16. The Meeting

**Chapter 16**

"Shouldn't I come along in case one of your gets hurt?" Caleb asked, as Carlisle prepared to leave the hotel room.

"No," his father told him, shaking his head, "Nothing is going to happen. Stay here with your mother and everyone else. We shouldn't be gone for longer than an hour or two."

Esme swallowed hard and played with the necklace she had on that Carlisle had given her. He glanced up at her once, then over toward where Mackenzie was beginning to get anxious over the realness of the situation. She had never personally met Aro or any of the Volturi, but had been going to Esme's classes for long enough to know their importance, and equally their level of danger.

"Why do you have to go?" she whispered to Emmett across the room.

He put a hand on her shoulder, "It's going to be quick. I'm just going as added... muscle."

"Added muscle? What does that mean?"

"Extra protection."

"They'll be back before we know it," Rosalie told her, "Alice has seen the outcome of this. We're all going to leave together in the morning to head back home."

Mackenzie looked like she was about to cry. "You've told me all about what Aro has done, and what he can do," she whispered, getting a bit choked up, "And Jane. She seems worse than him if you ask me. He can read your mind but she can make you feel all that pain and make you unable to defend yourself."

"We'll be fine," Emmett whispered back. He pulled her in for a hug, "We'll be fine," he repeated, kissing the top of her head. His eyes locked on Rosalie's as they stood together before he finally released the daughter and gave her a reassure wink and smile. "Watch some movies with Mom and hang with your buddy Caleb."

Mackenzie looked over to where Caleb and Carlisle talked across the room. He looked at her and stuck his tongue out playfully, making her unable to hide a smile. She shook her head and Emmett grinned, glad to see her perk back up for a moment.

Seth and Luciana both stood quietly. Seth had his arms folded and leaned against the wall and Luciana stroked his arm as she stared into space. While Seth had been talkative on the plane ride over, particularly with Esme, Caleb and Alice, he hadn't spoken much since they'd arrived in Maine.

Edward and Bella sat on one of the beds in the room across from Alice and Jasper, who sat on the other. They talked tactics and Alice more or less gave him a sense of what was to come, continuing to say there were no changing of anyone's minds in regards to their actions in the meeting. Jane wouldn't attempt to use her gift, and Alice was still unclear of whether or not Aro was aware of their previous attack.

"Bella, I would be ready just in case something were to change," she said, "But I haven't seen you having to use your shield at all."

"Okay," Bella nodded and looked over at Edward. He put an arm around her shoulders.

"We'll be right around the corner in case something does go out of the ordinary," Jasper said, "We just don't want to spook them, so to say, by having too many of us in their face at once."

Edward nodded and looked over his shoulder at Carlisle, who made eye contact with him for a moment. He stood up from where he was squatted down at his son's eye level, and Edward rose from where he sat at the same time. Bella, Alice and Jasper did the same.

"Ready?" Edward asked him.

Carlisle nodded and looked toward Emmett, who also nodded once solidly.

"Keep in touch when you can," Esme told him.

"We will," Carlisle assured her. He leaned over and hugged her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "We'll be back soon."

Mackenzie sighed heavily and it was apparent that she was attempting not to cry. She looked at Emmett, who returned his gaze to her and gave her another wink, then messed up her hair, "Start a movie and we'll be back before it's over," he told her.

Rosalie nodded and readjusted their daughter's hair. "I wouldn't let him go if something was going to happen."

Edward took Bella's hand and they made their way toward the door. Seth and Luciana straitened up and hurried behind them.

"Keep your phones on," Alice told everyone, drawing nods from those who were leaving.

Carlisle gave Caleb a hug, then left Esme with another before Emmett followed him out.

"I love you," Carlisle said, looking into her eyes before crossing through the doorway.

"I love you too," she told him, "Be careful."

"We will. We'll be fine. Do as Emmett said. Put on a movie and we'll most likely be done by the time's it's ended."

Esme nodded to him and Caleb watched him go with Rosalie and Mackenzie directly behind them. When the door closed, Mackenzie ran to look out the window, hoping to see the four of them walking.

The hotel they chose was a quaint little place in a small town with plenty of woods surrounding it. They had done their research to attest that they could easily make their way out of the place on foot without being seen or questioned.

Mackenzie's eyes scanned the trees and she barely made out the six of them making their way through the darkness away from the hotel.

...

Aro had wasted no time in regards to their discussion. He immediately began speaking of issues at hand, and though he read the thoughts of all of them, aside from Bella, he hadn't brought up the issue that lingered in all of their thoughts about the surprise visit they received from Jane, Felix and Demetri. From what Edward could tell, he was made aware of what had gone on and remained neutral on his views because they returned unscathed. While he experienced some small amount of enjoyment from what had happened, he equally disapproved of Jane's bold behavior. It seemed as though he hadn't made a big deal of the decision, but had kept her on a tighter leash than normal.

Their two sides set new boundaries for what was considered acceptable, and what was not and up to that point had been in each other's company for close to an hour. Aro had strictly demanded that anyone involved in the type of ambushes that were inflicted on their coven be punished as if they were the ones who performed the act in the first place.

"I don't care if they haven't a clue of the plans," Aro stated firmly, "If they are at all associated with those who do unjust harm then we will take action. I'm only extending you this courtesy for the sake of my daughter."

Luciana was about to speak but he silenced her with a hand up, as he had several times throughout the discussion. Jane had to refrain herself from commenting several times, as Edward could read that she had plenty of ill-feelings toward Aro's daughter. She thought of her as a traitor and a dead weight to Aro's leadership.

"I'd like to move on specifically to Micah and Helen, the nomadic couple who accompanied the renegades who took the life of our dear brother and friend," Aro stated.

Edward nearly shook his head, knowing he wished he had killed off the two of them when he had a chance. It was only because of Luciana that he'd stopped, but he felt as though her words wouldn't have as much emphasis if the two of them were right in front of him now. He was determined to even the score, or that was how he looked at it, for the loss of his prized twin Alec. On top of it, Jane's behavior had become increasingly erratic and it worried him slightly in a sense that he didn't want to have to do away with her in time if she tried to overtake their coven. He knew it was highly unlikely, but feared losing her as an asset more than he feared losing his own life _to_ her.

"Micah and Helen-" Luciana started.

"This is not a discussion for you Luciana," Aro told her sternly, "I'll ask that you remain silent for the remainder of the time or I'll have Marcus escort you away until we're through."

Jane glared across the way and seemed internally angry by her presence. Seth looked as if he wanted to put an arm around her and looked at her with sympathetic eyes but remained simply standing by her side.

"If we find them," he added, "They _will_ be executed for their involvement."

Jane's posture straightened up and she lifted her chin reactively just slightly.

"I have been able to tell that you have no idea where they resided, but you've had suspicions about the state of Montana," Aro went on, "We'll look there. I'd advise you to remain in your own business. If we do not find them, we'll return to Italy and most likely won't look again until we return to the United States for a visit or perhaps another discussion."

Carlisle looked pained by his words, but didn't say anything. Edward looked at him for a moment, then back to Aro.

"Carlisle, are we clear?"

He looked at Aro and nodded subtly. "I understand where you're coming from-"

"Great," Aro said, cutting him off with an agitated smile.

"If you try to interfere, you won't be as lucky as you were last time," Jane told them coldly with a warning hint in her voice.

Emmett and Edward were both tempted to make a comment regarding the close nature of Felix's demise but they both bit their tongues in order to keep the peace. Edward glanced at his brother, reading that his thoughts were similar to his own and they shared an appreciative look with one another.

"Seth," Aro stated, "How are these other wolves, or spirit warriors as you call them? The ones in Montana?"

He blinked his eyes a few times, taken off guard by his words. "Um, they uh, they're... nice. They're a lot like us."

Jane scowled and Marcus narrowed his eyes slightly, but didn't appear mad, more intrigued with just a small hint of disapproval.

"They're nice. Well, isn't that wonderful."

Seth nodded shyly and swallowed, then let out a nervous breath, "Yeah. They're good people. We've visited them a few times."

"So if we happened to pass through the area, they wouldn't have the urge to attack, now would they?"

"Um..." he looked at Luciana, then back Aro, "I mean, no. Not if they didn't feel threatened... but if they don't know you-"

"Perhaps you could give them a warning that we may be passing through the area."

Seth couldn't help but glance at Carlisle.

"Son..." Aro said, "We wouldn't have to take a life based on a misunderstanding. Especially with their young offspring running around."

"Um... yeah," Seth agreed. He felt like regardless of his answer he would be betraying someone in the process. "I guess we could do that. I mean, we can do that."

Aro smiled wide, "Thank you Seth."

Seth nodded and looked down.

"They're good people," Carlisle added, not able to hold his tongue, "They saved my life and contributed to getting even with Jacqueline and Christopher."

"I would imagine they'd comply with out simple orders then, particularly if they know we'll be crossing through the area." Aro looked back at Seth for a moment, then to Carlisle again.

"Don't involve them."

"We don't intend to," Aro explained, "We just may be traveling on their... territory and don't want to be mistaken for the enemy."

_You are the enemy_, Bella thought, clinging to Edward's hand.

"You've gotten quite bold in how you state your feelings as orders," Jane said, looking at Carlisle, "I don't believe you stand in any position to send demands in Aro's direction, or any of ours for that matter."

"Thank you Jane," Aro state, placing his hands beneath his chin.

"All I'm saying is that they haven't done anything that deserves punishment," Carlisle stated, "I apologize if I came across as disrespectful, but you're right. The family we met just had a child. They aren't looking for confrontation."

Jane was about to speak but Aro silenced her with his hand as he had Luciana.

"Aro..." Edward narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

"Again with the demands..." Jane spoke in monotone.

"Speaking of children, Carlisle did you know that your own family member has been keeping details to himself about your own child?" Aro asked.

When he didn't respond out of confusion, Aro continued. "Edward could read the thoughts of your child, may he rest in peace."

Carlisle glanced over at Edward. The question lingered in his mind but he didn't ask it. _What's he talking about? Caleb? Masen?_

"Not Caleb or Masen," Edward told him. He looked back at Aro, who was getting a kick out of the conversation at hand. Anything to weaken their family and push the trust boundaries farther apart was something that could only benefit his own coven.

"What happened?" Carlisle asked, "Are they all alright?"

"He's talking about-" Edward started.

"The one who passed," Aro went on, "He was never quite born, but suffered highly in the womb of your wife. Edward didn't tell you? His thoughts were so clear when I read them."

Emmett looked coldly at Jane, who smiled.

"Your son's thoughts were so unbearable that Edward had to leave the house on several occasions, as did Alice's mate from all terrible feelings he was experiencing," he said, "It was because of the pair that traveled with Micah and Helen that this happened. Edward couldn't bear to tell you because he knew how much it would pain you to hear."

Carlisle didn't say anything but the look on his face seemed to satisfy Aro. "Again, not to be disrespectful, but why is this relevant to what we're discussing?"

"To remind you of what these people you're protecting are capable of," Jane jumped in, "They killed my brother. They caused the suffering of your... baby." The last word seemed to make her almost angry.

"Can you not deny that the child would have been alive if it weren't for them?" Aro asked, "Not to mention it wouldn't have suffered as worse as, what Edward's mind described as a person burning to death. To think there could have been another youngest similar to Caleb wandering around your precious Washington home."

Edward could see that Carlisle was trying not to visualize the nature of what Aro was describing, but didn't at all blame Micah and Helen for what had happened.

"Aro," he started, "Those responsible for the actions you described, Alec included, are dead. There's nothing I can do to provide more justice for your loss. I will agree to the terms you've set. It's never been my intention to go against you, or anyone else for that matter. You know my nature. I just wish to live in peace with my family."

Aro stared at him for a moment, almost hating how controlled and strong-willed his composure was. Edward could see that he was almost jealous of the his unnaturally calm demeanor. "As do we," he stated, "But justice must be served in order for all of us to do that." He looked at Jane for a moment.

She looked at Seth and Luciana, "I suppose you'll do that right thing and warn the Montana wolves that we'll be moving in on their land to scan the territory for the accused."

Seth nodded slightly, as did Luciana.

"Very well," she said, looking at Aro for further instruction.

"I suppose if this is all the help we'll get, the meeting is adjourned," he spoke, "Unless of course you'd like to accompany us on our journey to find the... accused... as Jane stated."

Carlisle extended his hand, "I believe that will be all."

"Until next time... old friend." Aro looked at his two counterparts, then said a special farewell to his daughter before the three of them left without a trace.

Everyone looked to Carlisle, having deep admiration for him in that moment to have the ability to shake Aro's hand after the words he spoke to him.

"Carlisle-" Edward stared.

"You don't have anything to explain," he assured him, "Why don't we get back to the rest of our family so we can go home." He patted him once on the shoulder and walked ahead of everyone, leading the way back through the woods toward the hotel.

Edward sighed and looked at Bella, feeling slightly guilty. She squeezed his arm and took his hand, giving a look of sympathy for the situation. They all walked back silently, not particularly agreeing with the next move from the Volturi, but all the more eager to get back to Forks to assure they were with the rest of their family with Aro and Jane so close.


	17. Pick Your Battles

**Chapter 17**

Bella had the idea to beat everyone to Montana to speak with Jeremy and Kayla. She knew Aro couldn't read her thoughts the way he could everyone else's and so she couldn't reveal her plans to anyone, including Edward. If Micah and Helen were in the area, she could manage to warn them in time to leave before they were harmed. She also could provide the warning to the wolves that Seth had promised.

_How can I manage to pull this off?_ she wondered to herself.

Although Aro, Jane and Marcus had already left, she assumed from their conversation that they would hold off to let Seth beat them to Montana to give word to the tribe. If she went on her own and asked them if the pair had been residing there, they should still have enough to leave and Kayla and Jeremy would also be off the hook for not knowing where they were. In the best case scenario, Micah and Helen would have drifted off to parts unknown far, far away from Montana and the reservation they visited there.

Everyone in the hotel room seemed overly relieved when their group returned. Mackenzie practically sprinted to Emmett and hugged him and Esme couldn't hold back a sigh when she saw Carlisle's face.

"How did it go?" she asked him.

He hugged her lightly, "It went okay."

"They want to try finding Micah and Helen," Emmett explained, "But if they aren't in Montana, they're going to head back to Italy."

"What do they want with them?" Esme asked, already knowing the answer to her question.

Emmett made a face to state the obvious.

"But why?"

"Just to punish someone," Edward explained, "Aro feels as though he owes it to Jane."

"I was tempted to say something when Jane said that next time we wouldn't be so lucky, or whatever it was that she said," Emmett said aloud, shaking his head.

"So why didn't you?" Rosalie asked. "We're stronger than them now, and they all know it."

"I couldn't," he disagreed.

"I hate Jane and I don't even know her," Mackenzie said.

"We could overtake them if they picked a fight with us," Rosalie went on.

"Rosalie," Carlisle shook his head.

"Carlisle... we have that type of "man-power".

"I understand," he told her, "But I'll agree to things like these meetings if it keeps us civil."

"What if that's not the right thing to do?" she asked, "They've gone beyond the boundaries of controlling our kind."

"We do have the gifts," Emmett said.

"And the numbers," Jasper added.

Almost everyone's eyes were on Carlisle.

"I'm going to express things the way I see them," he told everyone, "And you've got the right to disagree, but if we provoke them instead of taking the high road, they'll take any chance they can get to strike. It's always been like that. Saying something back to Jane over her comments..." he shook his head, "I have to agree with Emmett for keeping his mouth shut. They want us to react to their words, and when we don't they have no reason to unjustly take mattes into their own hands. Do I believe they would outmatch us? No, I don't. I honestly don't."

"Why shouldn't we say something then?" Rosalie asked him, "Years and years ago I can see why it was better to just remain quiet and stay out of their way, but we've earned the right to have our voices heard."

"I understand how you feel," Carlisle told her, "I feel the same way." He looked at Luciana for a moment, "And I don't mean to speak ill of your father in front of you-"

She shook her head and cut him off, "The awful things he said to you Carlisle..." Her voice tailed off and he could see that she had sided with him on the issue.

"Regardless," he went on, "Rosalie, we could stand our ground and even come out on top. I believe that, as I said, but I also feel as though even the loss of just one life on our side makes us lose, regardless if we end up on top of the Volturi or not. If one member of this family has to lose their life over something so petty as a comment... I can't justify that. We have to stand up for what's right, and if someone tries to hurt anyone in this family I'll stand up and fight, but I'm not about sacrifice the safety of anyone in this family over a few words."

The intensity of his voice had picked up greatly over the course of his speech and everyone remained silent for the next few seconds.

"I'm not trying to make the decisions of the group, or sway you to feel as I feel," Carlisle told everyone, as he could see they were a little taken back by his demeanor. He returned his voice to the typical calm nature as it typically was, "But we can't go back on who were are as a family for a sense of pride. If it's right, you'll feel that it's right."

His eyes landed on the clock and he looked at Esme for a moment, "Our flight isn't schedule until tomorrow morning, so I suppose everyone should just relax now that our purpose for coming out here has already taken place."

"I agree with everything you said Carlisle," Alice said, speaking her mind, "The visions I've had in the past... he's right. There have been a few close calls where someone's thoughts on a whim have prevented us from having to battle the Volturi. It always ends in tragedy on both sides, but like Carlisle said if just one person in our family has to die for it, I don't think it's worth it." She looked at Jasper and slipped her hand into his, "I have to say it's quite hard to see a vivid image of the love of your life dying."

Jasper squeezed her hand, smirked and nudged her then gave her a wink. Rosalie seemed to sympathize with her sister's words and have a little nod as she glanced subtly at Emmett.

They all looked around the room at one another, letting their anger at the Volturi fall back into place as their love and will to protect each other rose above.

Rosalie briefly made eye contact with Carlisle and seemed to give in with her eyes, fully understanding his point of view on the matter.

"I'm going out to hunt quickly," he said, "I'll be back."

Esme turned to him, as if to say 'don't go'. She didn't trust anything about Aro being in the area. Her hand touched his arm lightly as he turned to leave. "You just got back," she whispered to him.

"I'll be back soon." He kissed her on the cheek, "A half hour."

She continued to give him the same look, but he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"I'll go with him," Edward volunteered.

Carlisle glanced over his shoulder as he opened the door.

Edward released Bella's hand slowly and followed him. "We'll be fine," he told Esme, "Half hour, like he said."

"Okay," she told him, crossing the room to sit on the bed beside Bella. They both shared a look and Bella shrugged.

Carlisle closed the door lightly behind him and check the pocket of his pants to make sure he had a key, not that he thought the rest of the family would be going anywhere. Once they were out away from the place, Carlisle didn't hesitate to track something down, going off slightly on his own. Edward decided to hunt, too, but had gone with him to talk for a bit and to ease Esme's mind. He also wanted to be sure that Aro, Jane and Marcus hadn't stuck around the area.

When the two of them had finished, Carlisle leaned against a tree with one arm and Edward jogged down toward him.

"Edward," he said, smiling finally for the first time since returning from the meeting with Aro, "You don't have to talk to me about what Aro said."

"I just want you to know that I didn't do anything to intentionally deceive you," Edward told him.

"You can read my mind, right?"

He shrugged and smiled slightly.

"Have you seen me even remotely thinking something like that?"

"No," Edward told him, "I just wanted to explain."

"You don't have to," Carlisle told him.

"I just didn't think it was something you needed to know. It was too painful to talk about."

"I know," he nodded. "There's nothing we could really do about it." They both shared a sigh and Carlisle looked around for a moment. "Don't tell Esme about it either. I don't like keeping things from her, but I don't see how the information would do her any good. It would only make her upset and relive everything."

Edward agreed. "Alright."

"Ready to head back?"

"Yeah."

The two of them walked back to the hotel, drawing the same style looks of relief as the first time they walked in. Bella still struggled with her idea to go to Montana, unaware of how she would make it happen.


	18. Slamming Doors

**Chapter 18**

The text to Alice's phone finally went off once the airplane landed in Seattle. She glanced down at the phone, also noting she had two voicemails from Nicole. Before sharing the information she already knew, she listened to them, confirming the message at hand, then turned to Bella as their family got to their cars under the cover of a parking garage.

"No," Alice shook her head, "No, no and no."

"Alice, what-" Bella started.

"It's too late, anyway," she went on, "Nicole and I already aware so what you were originally thinking is out of the question. Do you not understand that if the Volturi _did_ find Micah and Helen that Aro would read their minds regardless? You would be sought out and I don't think I have to tell you about the serious nature of those actions."

"Bella, what's she talking about?" Edward asked.

She huffed and recognized that everyone was staring at her.

"Bella wanted to go ahead to Montana and warn Micah and Helen about the Volturi," Alice said, leaving Bella to close her eyes and sigh, "And it was all coming from a good place. She wasn't going to tell us about it because Aro can read our minds, but they would find out if they found Micah and Helen."

Edward stared at her with a frustrated glare.

"Ballsy," Emmett said with a chuckle, "Nice try Bells."

"How did you plan on keeping that from me?" Edward asked her.

"I hadn't thought of a dead set plan, but-"

"Don't ever try to play the hero like that."

"Edward-"

"You could be killed, do you get that?"

"It was thoughtful," Esme said, interrupting them, hoping to break up the developing argument, "Bella meant well Edward. She was trying to do the right thing without putting us all in the middle of it." She looked at Bella, "It's honorable, but I'm glad you're not going to go. I wouldn't want you to take on something like that alone. It's too dangerous."

Bella nodded, "I know, I just thought maybe I could get the word to them if they were there." She paused then spun to face Alice, who was smiling, "Wait, can Nicole see if they're living there?"

She nodded, "She can see, but no they aren't there. They must have gone somewhere else."

Bella and Esme both seemed to give a look of thankfulness on the matter. Edward continued to stare at Bella almost angrily until Carlisle pulled him aside and shook his head.

"Don't make her feel guilty for trying to do something she felt was right," he said quietly, "I understand the fear regarding that situation, but don't be angry with her."

Bella glanced over at them, then refocused on her conversation with Esme.

"She could get herself killed, Carlisle."

"Alice has already stated that it's not going to happen, so there's really no issue at hand. Speak to her another time when it's just the two of you. Don't do it here right now."

Edward agreed, but his demeanor didn't change.

"Well, that was a short trip," Caleb said, looking at Mackenzie, then to Carlisle.

"Yeah, it was wasn't it?" Carlisle asked him.

He nodded.

"Load 'em up, ship 'em out," Emmett said, slamming the back of his Jeep once their bags were in.

Caleb repeated the phrase and Emmett laughed and high-fived him. "Can I ride with you?" he asked quietly.

Rosalie smirked and looked at Mackenzie.

"Sure," Emmett told him, "Just ask your parents."

Esme and Carlisle both turned around.

"Can I ride with Emmett and Rosalie?" he asked.

"And Mackenzie..." Mackenzie said.

Caleb made a face, then slowly over-pronounced her, "And Mac-ken-zie."

Alice and Jasper both laughed from Caleb's boyish antics.

"Fine by us," Emmett said, when Esme raised her eyes to meet his.

"Alright," she said with a nod, prompting one from Carlisle.

"Sure," he told him.

"Thanks," Caleb told them, then hopped into the back seat of the Jeep.

The two of them shared a look, then got into Carlisle's car with Bella and Edward in the back seat. Alice gave a light wave as she and Jasper ducked into their car with Seth and Luciana.

Carlisle glanced into his rearview mirror and saw Bella looking at Edward every couple of seconds, while he firmly looked forward with his arms folded. Esme looked over at her husband, then over her shoulder at Edward, who's demeanor didn't change when he met Esme's stare. She looked back at Carlisle again, who glanced over at her and tried to give a subtly shrug. He then linked his hand in hers as he put the car in drive.

...

When everyone had gotten settled back at home and everything was unpacked, Emmett immediately took out a baseball bat and approached Caleb. "Want to go down and hit some balls?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod. "I forget why we can only play in the rain... why not on a normal cloudy day?"

"I'll talk to ya about it on the ride down." He draped an arm over him and Jasper passed by. "Play some ball?" he asked.

Jasper looked at Alice who gave him the "okay" with a nod.

"Edward!" Emmett called, prompting his brother to appear in the room, still sulking a bit. "Baseball. Let's go."

He shook his head, "Not today."

"Oh come on."

"He's still angry with Bella for wanting to act so bravely," Rosalie said, joining them and slinking against the countertop in the kitchen where they stood. She leaned an elbow down and propped her head in her hand, leaning slightly to one side.

"Rosalie," Edward shook his head, "Mind your business."  
"Get over it," she told him.

"Mind your business," he said again flatly.

They glared at each other for a moment before Rosalie smirked and made her way out of the room, grazing Emmett's arm as she did, prompting a wink from him.

"William and Madison are meeting us," he said, then called out for Michael and Alexandra.

"We'll go," they both said at the same time.

"Where's your dad?" Emmett asked.

"He's already in the shower and Nicole just got finished doing Mom's nails. They're still drying," Alexandra said, waving her hand and shaking her head, "So I'm guessing the three of them are out."

"Masen?" he asked.

"Working," Alexandra told him, putting both of her thumbs down.

Emmett laughed and threw Caleb on his back, "We ready then?"

"Ready," Caleb told him.

"Sure you don't want to come Edward?"

He shook his head and walked down the hall with his hands in his pockets. Before their group had even left the yard they heard the two of them begin to lightly argue.

"Gunna be a longgg night for Bella," Emmett said with chuckle, drawing a few from the rest of them.

Carlisle had gotten out of the shower in time to see everyone walking towards the woods, also hearing Emmett's words and Edward and Bella's continuing disagreement downstairs. He hoped that they could come to terms sooner than later.

"I feel guilty," Alice whispered, sliding into Carlisle and Esme's room.

He spun around and ran a towel through his hair once more so the excess water wouldn't drop onto his shirt. "It's not your fault," he told her with a shrug

"I want to pull him aside and talk to him. I think he'll somewhat listen to me." Alice went on, "What do you think?"

Carlisle nodded, "I think he'll listen. They'll be alright."

"Rose and Em have had far worse," Alice pointed out, "And let's not forget that one time you lied to Esme about going to see Aro..." she raised her eyebrows, "I think that was the only argument I can recall the two of you having."

Carlisle smiled, then let out a chuckle. Alice laughed with him, then tapped the door frame and left the room.

"I remember that," Esme said, entering a few moments later.

He laughed, "I learned my lesson."

She smiled and walked toward the window he stood by, glancing out once, then made her way to the bed and closed her eyes and laid down. "I'm glad that's over," she said.

"The meeting?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Esme nodded and rolled over onto her stomach, smiling as she knew Carlisle would rub her back.

Carlisle immediately did as she assumed he would and she glanced up at him once, still smiling. "What?" he asked with a laugh.

"I knew you'd rub my back," she admitted.

He let out another laugh and shrugged, "I'm that predictable huh?"

Esme giggled, "I just know you. And I am kind of in the mood for a back rub."

Carlisle continued to do as she asked with a smile on his face, "What do you think about Edward and Bella? Stay out of it?"

She closed her eyes and nodded, "Yeah. They'll work it out."

He agreed and looked down at Esme's peaceful expression as she seemed completely relaxed under his touch.

Carlisle felt in the pampering mood and stood up to get what Alice called "top of the line" body lotion.

"Where are you going?" she asked him with a grin, lifting her head from the pillow.

He held up the container and motioned for her to lift up the back of his shirt. Esme decided to have a little fun with him and took it off completely, assuming her position back on the bed.

Carlisle snickered and put the lotion on his hands, giving her a deep massage along her shoulders, neck and back.

"Wow, I have to ask for these more often," she teased.

"Well, my hands never get tired," he said with a laugh.

Esme laughed back, "I might have to take advantage of that." She sighed and closed her eyes, allowing him to spoil her a little before the two of them stopped when they heard a door slam downstairs.

Carlisle looked down at Esme, who suddenly looked a little worried, or startled. He got up from the bed and looked out the window, seeing Bella storming off toward where Edward's car was parked.

"What's going on?" Esme whispered.

He stared out as she entered the vehicle and put it in drive before peeling out in the driveway.

Carlisle walked back over, "Bella left," he said, "In Edward's car and I think he may have left the house, too. I can't catch his scent overly strong anymore."

She raised her eyebrows.

"Let them go?" he asked.

Esme thought for a moment and recognized again that it wasn't really their business. She nodded, then laid back down flat, drawing another smile from Carlisle.

He placed a knee on either side of her and unlatched the back of her bra. Esme began to laugh and looked back at him.

"It's in the way," Carlisle told her with a smile, then held up his hands, "My intentions are good."

Esme smiled, "We'll see in a few minutes."

He snickered again and continued to give her the much needed stress relief that came with a good back rub.

"I love you, Carlisle," she told him, keeping her eyes closed.

"I love you too."

"Another year," she said with a sigh, "Until we have to see them again. Hopefully we won't come face to face with the Volturi before the next annual meeting."


	19. A Visit

**Chapter 19**

Carlisle and Esme sat side by side on the couch. He sat with his feet reclined and thumbed through a book, while Esme typed away on the keyboard of their lap top. The television was on, but neither of them seemed to be paying much attention to it, as they were equally involved in what they were reading.

She glanced over at him for a moment and smiled to herself from the focused look on his face. He had one of his hands rested partially over his mouth and his eyes never left the page until he turned to the next without missing a beat.

The house was surprisingly quiet, but didn't last for long.

Caleb burst through the house covered in mud. His baseball hat was on backwards and he began trudging through the house with everyone else not far behind.

"Shoes!" Esme called, standing up from her position on the couch.

"Whoops," he said, kicking them off, flipping one wildly into the air that sent mud in all directions.

Carlisle raised his eyebrows and looked at his wife, who was visibly getting a little angry from their son's carelessness. His muddy feet had left a trail from the door and in through to where they now stood.

Emmett wasn't far behind, though had removed his shoes and was parading through the house in his socks. The mud that decorated the rest of him, however, almost made Esme tear her hair out.

"How did you all get this messy?" she asked.

"Baseball," Emmett said, moving his arms like a bat, then let his smile fade as he could see Esme wasn't overly thrilled.

Her eyes moved from the boys to the wall, where Caleb's shoe splatter had left a less-than-appealing decoration.

Caleb followed her gaze and looked down at the shoes in his hands.

She pointed to somewhere other than where they stood, "Shoes on the back deck or in the garage, then go shower. Do not track any more mud through this house."

Carlisle stood up and glanced at the wall. Caleb looked at him and tried to slink away.

"Hold on," he said, "When you're done getting cleaned up you can come clean the floor down here, and the wall."

He made a face but didn't argue and made his way toward the door that lead into the garage. He tossed his shoes down the small flight of stairs and closed it, then headed upstairs to take a shower.

Esme looked at Carlisle, who was struggling not to smile, knowing she was a bit agitated. She then switched her glance to Emmett.

"My bad," he said, then tried to make a joke, "Look I took mine off." He held up his shoes with a smile and Esme felt a smile form on her face from his carefree demeanor. She shook her head and Emmett laughed, "I'll clean up the mess," he offered.

"No, let Caleb do it," Carlisle told him, "He's the one who made it."

"Is everyone else still outside?" Esme asked.

Emmett nodded, hearing their laughter on the front steps.

"Why haven't the come in?"

He snickered, "Would you after your muddy rampage?"

Esme smiled and laughed, "Rampage? I didn't even raise my voice."

"You're far scarier when you just give a hard look and put your hands on your hips," Emmett told her with a laugh. He scooped her up off the group and twirled her around, "Don't be mad at us... Mom."

She couldn't help but laugh and Carlisle shook his head with a smile, "Tell everyone they can come inside, just take their shoes off."

"Alex is muddier than I am," he told them.

"We're leaving our muddy clothes on the railings out here," Jasper called in, "The outer layers anyway."

Carlisle and Esme looked at each other again and they both couldn't help a smile. At the same time they heard the voices they had been waiting for; Edward and Bella.

"Looks like someone made up," Emmett said with a smirk, before making his way out of the room with his shoes still in his hand.

Bella's light laughter was enough to indicate that the spat between the two of them had come to an end. Edward's voice was far more relaxed and they seemed to have come full circle since several hours before.

"See," Esme said to Carlisle with a grin, "Told ya they'd be fine."

He nodded, "We all have our moments, I suppose."

"Yeah..." she pulled him in for a short kiss before looking at the wall again. "I have to clean it. It's driving me crazy already."

Carlisle laughed, "Give it fifteen minutes and Caleb will do it."

She smiled and sighed, "Alright."

He kissed her once more before resuming with his book on the couch. Esme headed outside to see everyone's condition and walked right back inside.

"We'll take care of the clothes," Rosalie assured her, "Not to worry."

Esme headed back into the living room and sat back on the couch, deciding not to fight it.

"They'll clean it up," Carlisle said, initially not looking away from his book. He patted her leg just above her knee once and glanced over at her.

She smiled and placed her hand over his for a moment before continuing to browse the internet.

Edward and Bella entered the house a few minutes later through the back to assure they wouldn't have to cross through the crowd of their family members who still lingered outside. It was hard to keep most things a secret in their house, and the rare arguments they had were included. They knew Carlisle and Esme were probably the only ones who wouldn't tease them.

"Um..." Bella said, looking at the two of them as they entered the living room, "Sorry for slamming the door on my way out last night... or a couple hours ago; whenever it was. I'm sorry."

Esme smiled, "Oh, don't worry about that."

"She's a little embarrassed..." Edward teased.

Bella looked at him and Carlisle and Esme both smiled.

"But I told her that didn't hold a candle to Rosalie's outbursts."

"I wonder what made Bella so angry..." Esme said with a half-serious accusatory ring to her voice. She looked at Edward, and he smiled.

"I apologized," he explained.

Bella linked her arm through his, "He did," she said with a nod, "And so did I. I guess my plan was... stupid."

"It wasn't stupid," Esme said, giving Edward the eye again.

"Hey, I didn't say anything..." he said defensively with a grin. "I mean, I may have used the words reckless... careless..."

Bella and Esme were now both looking at him.

"I'm... sorry," he said again slowly, then looked at Bella, "I just can't have anything happen to you. It was the wrong way to approach things."

Esme finally smiled at him.

"Apology accepted," Bella said plainly. She then let a smile cross her face and looked at Esme again, "Sorry again for making a scene."

Esme again told her not to worry about it, acknowledging that they all had their moments from time to time.

Edward's phone went off and he picked it up. "Yeah?"

Bella could tell from the way he answered that it was Jacob. He was the only one he answered the phone for in that fashion.

"Okay," he said, "Yeah. We'll come over."

"What did he say?" Bella asked.

"That was Jacob," Edward told them, "Kayla and Jeremy contacted him. They're on their way here from Montana."

Carlisle seemed to have his interest sparked for the first time and he set the book down on the arm of the couch.

"There's no trouble," Edward told him, "But Jake thinks we should go over for when they arrive."

Carlisle and Esme looked at each other, then they both nodded.

"Do they have any news for us?" Carlisle asked him.

He shrugged, "I didn't get specifics. All Jacob said was that there were no issues, but he didn't elaborate."

"We can ask him when we get there," Carlisle said.

Edward nodded and watched as he left to grab his shoes.

"Nothing bad?" Esme asked.

He shook his head, "No, but it did sound important."

She nodded. When Carlisle returned, she looked at him, "I just want to wait until Caleb gets out of the shower. I don't want him to wonder where we are."

"Stay," he said, "Stay with Caleb. Relax."

Esme looked at the three of them and nodded in agreement, "Call me to let me know what they say."

Carlisle nodded and kissed her on the cheek.

"Ready?" Edward asked.

He nodded and grabbed his keys before the three of them headed over to Jacob and Renesme's house.


	20. Friends and Allies

**Chapter 20**

Carlisle pulled his car into Jacob and Renesme's driveway. Before he could even put it in park, Edward was in the process of getting out of the car and Jacob made his way through the front door to great them. Bella slowly made her way out of the backseat and Carlisle allowed her ahead of him as they joined where Edward was beginning to speak with Jacob.

"Hey Mom," Renesmee greeted, walking out onto the front walkway.

Bella hugged her daughter tightly, "How are you guys doing?"

"Good." She touched Edward's shoulder lightly as she walked by to hug Carlisle, "Jacob said there won't be any trouble or bad news, just so you know."

He nodded and smiled at her, "Thanks Nessy."

Renesme smiled back and sighed, then looked at Bella again. "Can me and you talk inside while the guys talk out here?" she asked.

Bella looked at her daughter with concerned eyes, as she was completely caught off-guard. "Yeah. Sure. Yes, of course." They began to walk toward the front door.

Edward turned to them for a moment before he resumed his conversation with Jacob.

"Carlisle," Jacob said, holding a hand out, "In a nutshell I just wanted to let you know that The Volturi came and went. Seth warned their tribe that they would be in the area and everyone kind of just made an effort to stay out of the way; some went along with the plan easier than others but they complied." He looked down and spoke to himself for a moment, "I know I would have had trouble staying on two legs rather than four."

"Were they angry?" Carlisle asked him.

"No." Jacob shook his head, "Not Kayla and Jeremy, anyway. They felt a little protective of their daughter, but that was it. And they didn't blame any of you for the Volturi passing through their territory. When I spoke to Jeremy he actually said he was taken back by your loyalty to Helen and Micah, despite the trouble they indirectly caused you."

Carlisle nodded for a moment, glad to hear that they didn't hold them responsible, but he denied the last part of the statement, "I'm glad they're alright and nothing came of it, but the two of them never caused us any trouble."

He shrugged, "It just sounded like to me on the phone that they wanted to fill you in on the scenario and let you know that they still hold you in high regards."

"That's nice of them to travel all this way."

Jacob nodded in agreement and looked at Edward, who's eyes and ears were far away as he struggled to hear the details of Bella and Renesme's conversation.

"Why don't we go wait inside for them to get here," Jacob said to them both, "I just felt a few raindrops."

"What, wolves don't come out of their dens in the rain?" Edward asked him. His mind returned to the conversation as Jacob shook his head and smiled.

"I'd offer you some food, but sorry, no blood in the house," he said back, smiling over his shoulder as walked just ahead of Edward, "No offense Carlisle."

Carlisle laughed and Edward snickered lightly as they walked inside.

Edward's demeanor quickly changed as he heard Bella and Renesme's conversation stop abruptly upon their entrance. Jacob cleared his throat, and reverted his words back to Carlisle.

"So, um, they should be here in less than a half hour."

Carlisle nodded, "Thank you Jacob."

He nodded back then turned on turned up the television's volume from it's muted state, "We can put on whatever you guys want."

"Yeah, there's a bunch of doctor shows Pop," Renesme said to Carlisle with a grin, raising her eyebrows.

Carlisle laughed.

"He'll spend too much time pointing out all the mistakes," Edward said, glancing back at Carlisle with a grin.

Bella and Jacob both laughed.

"I really do wish I could just sit back and enjoy those shows," he told them with a smile.

Every gradually made themselves comfortable on the couches in the living room and carried on with lighthearted chatter until everyone seemed to sense the Montana wolves at once. Jacob stood up and crossed the room to the door to greet them upon seeing both Kayla and Jeremy reaching the top step.

Kayla was about to ring the doorbell when Jacob flung the door open. They shared a full smile with one another before he opened the door, hugging Kayla first and then shaking hands with Jeremy.

"How are you Jacob?" she asked, holding his hands in hers for an extra second.

"I'm good Kayla, how are you?"

"Very, very good," she told him.

"No little one?" Renesme asked them, greeting them each with a hug of her own.

"This is our first time being separated from her," Kayla told them with a slightly saddened expression, "I knew it would be hard, but not this hard. I miss her already."  
"She was crying when we left," Jeremy explained. He looked to Kayla with a smile and put his arm around her shoulders, "I couldn't get Mom to leave the house."

"It was a little heartbreaking," she admitted.

"You obviously remember Nessy's parents and grandfather," Jacob said, "Bella, Edward and Carlisle."

"Grandfather?" Kayla asked. "I'm sorry, the nature of the whole vampire thing is surreal."

"Yeah, you don't look like a grandfather," Jeremy said. He chuckled lightly as he finished the sentence.

Carlisle smiled and shared their humor, "Well, I am over three hundred years old. It's about time I hit that part of my life. Kids... grandkids..."

"Great-grandkids," Renseme said with a shrug.

Carlisle, Edward and Jacob all looked at her with the same hint of suspicion in their eyes.

"In the future," she added, looking at Jacob with a smile.

Edward could see that she was being honest, as he almost had a heart attack from her statement. Not that he didn't want the two of them to have children; it just hadn't been brought up seriously amongst them all, and no one knew exactly what the pregnancy would be like, considering the Masen-Leah outcome may have been much different because this time it would be Nessy, the half-vampire half-human giving birth.

"Come in and sit," Jacob said, returning his attention to their guests. "Relax a bit."

"I prepared a bunch of appetizer-type food," Renesme told them, "And there's a lasagna I've already prepared for dinner later if you'd like to stay. Don't feel obligated but I made far too much for just Jacob and I."

"Thank you," they both said at the same time, making their way toward the living room, shaking hands and exchanging hugs with Carlisle, Edward and Bella on the way.

Renesme returned a few seconds later with a hot Mexican dip covered in all kinds of cheeses and a bag of tortilla chips to go with it. She also brought in a plate of cheese and crackers for people to pick on.

"You have a lovely home," Kayla said to Renesme, "It's beautiful. I love the design of it."

"Thank you," she said, taking a seat next to Jacob and crossing one leg over the other, "My grandmother... Esme... designed the whole thing."

"Esme, yes," she said, looking around, "She was a lovely woman." Kayla's eyes met Carlisle's, "She was very emotional while you were asleep and recovering on our couch the time you were attacked by... what was his name?"

"Christopher," Jeremy told her at the same time as Edward.

"That's right. She never left your side while you were sleeping," she continued with a nod, "Where is she now?"

"At home keeping our son out of trouble," Carlisle told her with a half smile.

Kayla grinned back, "It's the boys you have to worry about."

"The girls are just more secretive about the trouble they cause," Jacob told her with a slight bout of laughter.

Bella and Renesme shared a look and smiled. Renesme rolled her eyes and swatted his arm.

"I'm very sorry for the Volturi disturbing you," Carlisle said to them.

"They'll do as they wish," Jeremy said, "I've been told it's been like that for centuries."

"We try to limit our contacts with them if it's possible," he explained, "A long while had passed where we never had to have contact with them. Between the weird chain of events that have happened, it seems as though their attention is constantly being pulled in our direction."

"It's partially my fault that they began to watch us in the first place," Edward said, shaking his head slightly.

Carlisle turned to him with a confused expression.

"How is it your fault?" Jeremy asked.

He hesitated and glanced at Renesme, then decided to go on with what he suddenly wished he hadn't started. "A long time ago I thought Bella was dead. It was a terrible miscommunication and I decided I would try to end my life by provoking the Volturi. They wouldn't kill me because I hadn't done anything wrong, but more so because they thought my mind-reading gifts were useful. The whole thing lead up to them finding out about Bella being human and knowing about our kind. She came to save me."

Bella's eyes closed as she vividly remembered the day as if it had just happened. Renesme looked at her father, then to Bella and Jacob, who ran his hand in circles around her back.

Kayla and Jeremy both looked to Bella, while Carlisle kept his eyes on Edward.

"It's not your fault," Carlisle told him, "Things worked out in that respect. Aro's daughter lives here now with Seth. He keeps tabs on her and we're not far down the road."

"We've come to be fond of your family and the bonds you've kept with spirit warriors and wolves such as ourselves," Jeremy said, "We had heard of such companionship, but I can speak for myself when saying I never thought I'd keep the company of a vampire."

"Nor did I," Kayla added, "But I could tell right away that you were good; that you cared about one another. The other blond man who carried you to our home, he was awfully concerned and brave to even approach us."

"Jasper," Edward told her.

"He's married to... Alice?" she asked.

Carlisle nodded and Edward and Bella both responded with a simple, "Yes."

"You're good people," Kayla continued, "That's why we wanted to make a personal trip to tell you first and foremost that we don't in any respect hold you responsible for the Volturi. We were told you might have had some brief thoughts that we were angry, or upset. They are a disassociated coven and nothing like your family from what I know of them."

She looked at Jeremy, who spoke next. "We also wanted to tell you that Micah and Helen crossed through our area not long after they separated themselves from you, but haven't returned since. We haven't heard anything from them, so unless the Volturi on a witch hunt I'm sure they're still safe somewhere."

"I hope they don't send Demetri after them one day," Carlisle said, appearing as though it was the first time the thought crossed his mind.

Bella got chills from his name. She hadn't seen him in the act of tracking, but he made her think of James for some reason. She knew that if Demetri wanted to find them, he would and the outcome would surely not be in their favor.

"The two of us just wanted to get on the same page with all of you," Jeremy went on, "We consider you allies after our first encounter, and as you probably know we have visited with Nessy and Jake on several occasions, as well as other members of the Quileute tribe."

"You never know when you're going to need a friend to lean on," Kayla added.

Everyone nodded with the statement, acknowledging that without each other they might not all be there right now.

Carlisle talked for at least a good hour with Kayla and Jeremy, as did Edward and Bella before the three of them eventually stood up from where they sat.

"Thank you again for coming all this way," Carlisle told them, shaking Jeremy's hand and leaning in for a hug with Kayla.

"It's our pleasure," she said, "Lord knows that these two have visited us enough." Her hand motioned in the direction of Jacob and Renesme, "It's about time we came all the way down to see their house and where you all call home."

"Does this mean you're saying for dinner?" Renesme asked them with a smile.

Kayla and Jeremy looked at each other and shared nods. "If you'll have us," he said.

"Of course."

Carlisle hugged Renesme and kissed the top of her head, then shook hands with Jacob. "Come by the house whenever, or I'll come here and we can talk about your education and becoming a nurse," he told her, "Or a doctor."

Renesme smiled and hugged him a second time, "I'll be by this week."

"Okay," he told her, smiling back.

Edward and Bella did the same, saying goodbye to their daughter, Jacob and their new friends from Montana. The three of them jumped back into Carlisle's car, Edward spun around toward the back seat where Bella sat.

"Were you and Nessy talking about babies before we got inside?" he asked.

She looked at him for a moment, then laughed and shrugged, "She's been talking about it a lot lately, yeah."

"Why hasn't she told me?"

Bella shrugged, "Because I'm her mom."

Edward couldn't find any words to argue that. He looked at her for a moment, then sighed and smiled, signifying him giving in to her.

Carlisle looked at him and snickered to himself. "Sometimes that's all the explanation you need."


	21. Thinking Back

**Chapter 21**

"The house looks pretty spotless," Carlisle said to Caleb, as he returned home with Edward and Bella.

"Yeah, I'm way better at cleaning than Mom," he said, looking over his shoulder at Esme with a smirk before he jumped into the couch with a loud thud.

"Masen!" she yelled, then caught herself and laughed, "Caleb, I mean." She shook her head.

Carlisle laughed, too, and then looked at his son, "You've got years and years and years before you can catch up to your mother."

"Fine by me," Caleb told him, reaching for the remote, "That means she can clean instead of me from now on."

Esme entered the room before Carlisle could respond, "You'll just have to practice more."

Caleb scrunched up his nose and Esme laughed again. She looked at Carlisle, who was smiling because the two of them seemed to be in a good mood.

"How did it go with Kayla and Jeremy?" Esme asked him, taking a seat on the couch.

Carlisle walked around it and sat beside her. "Great," he told her with a grin, placing a hand on the back of her neck, digging his fingers in.

Esme smiled and glanced at Caleb for a moment who was flipping through the television stations. "What did they have to say?"

"They just wanted us to know that there was no bad blood between our family and theirs," he told her, still smiling as he brushed some of her hair away from her shoulders. "And I believe they were staying for dinner at Renesme's house."

"That was it?" she asked him.

"That, and that Micah and Helen weren't staying in the area. They had no idea where they'd gone, but chances are they're safe where ever they are."

Esme sighed and a smile formed on her face, "Good." She glanced again at Caleb, who lounged back in his seat as he continued searching for something to watch. "I'm so glad all of that is over with."

"Me too," he told her, sensing finally that Esme had taken her mind to a place more peaceful and relaxing.

"Alice mentioned she's seen in advance that they will be returning to Italy."

Carlisle nodded and wanted to point out Demetri's tracking ability but decided against it. He smiled at her, "I'm glad to hear it."

They shared a brief kiss and sat close together, quickly getting into a movie that Caleb had left on the television. Edward and Bella filtered into the room and they shared the next couple of hours in the living room together. Caleb chatted with the two of them, and for the first time in awhile seemed interested in spending time with them, whether intentional or not. He laughed and pointed out parts of the movie to Carlisle, leaving the two of them with brief conversations every so often throughout the film.

Edward snickered a few times, reading that both of them were happy to be spending some extra quality time with their youngest son.

Esme looked at him once and smiled when she knew she had just been thinking, _how can we get him to stay when the movie ends?_

He shrugged at her, knowing there wasn't much that could be done. The more the children grew, the less time they wanted to spend with their parents. It was a simple fact of life; not that they loved them any less, it was just something that came with an older mindset and increased independence.

Before the movie's final end, Caleb was on his feet and adjusted both of his socks that had become twisted.

"Where are you off to?" Esme asked him.

Caleb shrugged and looked around. "I don't know. I'm bored."

"What do you feel like doing?" Carlisle asked him.

"I don't know," he said with a sigh. "I heard people talking about going down to some hill if it snows later."

"Reservation?" Emmett asked, entering the room.

"You guys were out for hours before," Esme said to them.

"But it's boring here," Caleb told her with a slight whine in his voice.

"We just watched a movie," Carlisle said, "That wasn't boring."

He sighed.

"What do you want to do at the reservation?" Esme asked, "Dad just came from there with Edward and Bella."

"So..." Caleb said, "Why can't we go back now?"

"Cliff jumping," Edward said with a grin.

Bella cuddled closer to him, remember her one time she did that as a human and what it led to.

Esme tried not to sigh out loud.

"You don't want to stay and watch another video?" Edward asked.

He shrugged, "I don't know. I want to _do_ something."

"You can go," Esme told him with a half smile.

"Really?"

She nodded and looked at Carlisle for a moment and then back to Caleb. She held her arms out and Caleb gave her a hug. She kissed him on the cheek. "I love you sweetie. Please be careful."

"Why don't you ask your parents to go cliff diving with you," Edward told him, raising his eyebrows with a closed-mouth smile.

Caleb looked at his mother, not wanting to deny her but making it visibly known that he wanted no part of his parents accompanying him, Emmett and whatever other boys joined them. She let him off the hook easily.

"You boys go on your own," Esme said simply.

"Okay," he said quietly, hiding his secret excitement.

"Alright," she said, "Give me another hug."

Caleb threw his arms around her, "Thanks Mom."

"You're welcome." She brushed a hand through his hair before he took off with Emmett.

"He certainly doesn't like to be cooped up indoors," Esme said, shaking her head, "He has a real sense of adventure."

"He's a lot like his mother in that respect," Carlisle told her with a grin.

Esme smirked at him, and shook her head again, prompting Edward and Bella to smile also.

"I can assume you haven't forgotten how we met." He held out his arm, "How did you break your arm again?"

She couldn't hold back a flutter of laughter and put her hands on her hips, reliving their first moment together.

Edward looked at Bella, who smiled back at him.

"Climbing trees?" he asked.

"Or falling out of them," she laughed.

Carlisle wrapped his arms around her, stilling smiling wide and kissed her on the cheek.

"I feel like we're back in the mid 1920's again," Edward said with a quick laugh. He looked at Bella, "They weren't so open about it as Emmett and Rosalie, but there was a time when they couldn't keep their hands off of each other."

Carlisle looked at him and shook his head.

"Oh, that's not true," Esme said to him, still smiling.

Edward looked at her with accusatory eyes, "Oh, it isn't?"

Carlisle reached over and grabbed the remote and tossed it to him, "TV's yours."

Bella laughed as the two of them left the room with their arms around each other. Esme continued to laugh as Carlisle teased her.

"I love how they can make each other laugh," Bella said to him, "The early 1920's..." She couldn't wrap her mind around how long they'd actually been together.

"We'll hit that number of years one day," he told her, leaning in for a kiss.

"I know," she whispered, grinning at him.

Carlisle pulled Esme into their room and closed the door. He lightly pulled her onto the bed on top of him and kissed her several times in a row, resting on his back with his arms hanging loosely across her lower back. He locked his fingers and admired the glow on her face.

"I remember the day we first met like it was yesterday," he told her.

Esme nodded, "And after that day I fantasized about moments like this that I never thought would ever happen."

Carlisle snickered lightly and Esme kissed him again once.

"It's what got me by," she admitted.

"It was obviously meant to be," he told her.

"Mmm-hmm," she smiled and kissed him again and again.

When she stopped without pulling her face far from his, Carlisle sighed happily and ran a hand down her face, leaving it on the curve her jawline, "Caleb does have that spirit you have, though."

"Mmm.." she said again in agreement, "Let's hope it doesn't get him in trouble."

Carlisle shook his head, "Maybe a little here and there."

"A little is alright."

He nodded and smirked, pulling Esme's lips back against his.

"Edward was kind of right," she whispered.

"About what?" he asked, not opening his eyes, but finding her mouth again.

"About us not being able to keep our hands off of each other."

Carlisle laughed, "I thought we were fairly discreet."

"The 1920's were some good years."

"They were," he agreed.

Esme sighed and Carlisle smiled. They continued to reminisce in each others arms; laughing, smiling and taking a happy trip down memory lane.


	22. Truly Happy

**Chapter 22**

Esme laid quietly up against Carlisle in the darkness. She traced random patterns over his bare chest and he kissed her forehead lightly and continually rand a hand through her hair, or across her back. One thing had led to another and stories of their old times and lighthearted flirting led them to where they currently laid together.

Text messages from Caleb and Emmett came in several times to update their status. Carlisle wrote back each time, laughing to himself at the dialogue and sometimes slightly misspelled words, before he'd place the phone back on the night stand and cuddle back up with Esme.

She studied the wall with her eyes, glancing at the shadows that were created by the day's end and a lamp that had been left on that was previously unnoticeable stood out brightly in the corner of the room. Following the conclusion of the Volturi meeting, and confirmation that everything had been fine with, Esme had felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She finally felt at ease for the first time in awhile and her mood was fifty shades of happy.

Carlisle's occasional movements against the sheets, or a graze of his hand against her made her smile. She replayed their quiet, sensual, perfect late afternoon in her mind. As much as she loved when they could feel free to do as they pleased on rare occasions, she equally enjoyed their quietest moments. Carlisle always took careful measures when handling her body, though that afternoon he made it a point to take his time.

His love for her radiated out of his body and he had gently kissed ever inch of her, tracing the same lines with his hands before whispering "I love you" whenever his lips made their way to her earlobe.

As if he had been reading her mind, Carlisle tilted her face toward his just slightly and spoke her favorite words again, "I love you."

Esme smiled at him. "I love you more."

He shook his head in debate and Esme positioned herself on top of him so they could share another string of kisses. One of the things she loved about Carlisle, is that he could read her; he knew her better than anyone. His self-control was impeccable and even with her pressed up against him so intimately, he knew her well enough to tell that all she wanted or needed in that moment was for him to hold her; to smile with her; to laugh with her.

"We've been finding ourselves in this position a lot lately," Esme told him, smiling down at him.

Carlisle smiled and spoke quietly, "We do have a little extra free time since our son doesn't want to be with us all day, every day."

She nodded.

"Your happiness is hard to ignore," he continued, still smiling.

Esme sighed and played with his hair and kissed him once solidly, leaving her lips against his for an extra second. She pulled away, "I am. I've had this post-Volturi high or something." She shrugged her shoulders making Carlisle grin wider.

"Who knew Aro could be the one to lift your spirits."

She gave him a look, then brought her smile back to the surface, "Oh, I assure you it was not his doing."

"Marcus?"

Esme shook her head, "Guess again... he's blond... handsome..."

"Caius?" Carlisle couldn't help but laugh when he spoke his name, drawing one from Esme as well.

"You got it," she joked, "He's the one."

"I suppose I should pack my bags then..." He continued to smile and Esme couldn't keep her lips off of his.

Carlisle's fingers flexed against her back as he pulled her to him more snugly. "Which decade has been your favorite?"

"Which decade?" she asked, "Hmm... well the current one I'll have to say, despite its ups and downs."

He nodded, "I agree. Three children; all healthy. Two married... one happy as can be out and about in the forest."

"Mmm..." Esme let the sound drag for a moment, "They're perfect children, aren't they?

Carlisle nodded, "I don't know how we did it without them."

"It's weird to think about... without any of them; William, Maddy, Nicole, Cassie, Mackenzie..." Esme shook her head, "Gosh, all of them."

"Thank Bella," he said with a snicker.

Esme laughed and Carlisle abruptly switched the way they were laying so he was on top of her. She laughed again and put her hand over her mouth for a moment before continuing the laugh at a quieter level.

"You never fail to keep me on my toes," she told him.

Carlisle laughed and kissed her again. "Likewise," he said.

Esme decided to go on his comment and flipped them again so he was on his back with her on top of him. Carlisle laughed out loud then let his smile linger.

"I just wanted to prove you right," she said, grinning, then added genuinely, "I have so much fun with you Carlisle."

He brushed her hair away from her face and tucked a few stray strands behind her ears. Esme kissed his lips, then made her way down his chest, working her way back up in the same line, straying to his neck and earlobe before finding his lips again with a hint of deeper passion.

Carlisle reacted naturally to the sensitive, yet passionate nature of her actions. He reciprocated her moves before bringing his lips gently against the middle of her ear, "Have I said 'I love you' too many times tonight?"

Esme's arms tightened around him and nearly giggled, "You can never say it too many times."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded and pulled back so their faces were less than an inch apart, "I'm sure."

Carlisle looked her in the eyes, "I love you."

Esme studied his eyes; they were a combination of seriousness, silliness, desire and love. "I love you Carlisle."

A smile spread across his face and he fed into their previous joke, "You're positive it's Caius?"

She laughed loudly for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. "I'm slowly getting over him," she teased.

Carlisle sat up and snickered and brought his nose against hers at first, before cupping her face in his hands. They shared a few more kisses before he laid back down, pulling Esme with him.


	23. Sister Secret

**Here are some pictures of the house/Carlisle's office I am picturing: .com If you check it out, let me know what you think.**

* * *

**Chapter 23**

"That's actually amazing," Alice said with a laugh. She flipped through Rosalie's phone looking at pictures of her recent purchase. "A little over the top, but wow!"

"It is, isn't it?" Rosalie asked, then the two of them shared a laugh, "Well, our family has grown so much that we'll all have our own space."

"Carlisle and Esme are going to be completely overwhelmed," she said, still laughing, "But I know they'll cave in."

"I mean, come on, I've never gotten to pick the house," Rosalie told them, "Once we get there permanently, they'll love it."

Alice nodded, "I've seen it. Carlisle is going to take more convincing than anyone, but he won't be too hard to sway, especially with all the good intentions behind it."

"I'm not going to lie. I hate seeing him looking for things to do around the house. He can work as a doctor there. Alex and Masen were completely on the same page as us; so were Edward and Bella. We won't be _that_ far from everybody, less than a day and a half by foot."

"Yeah, Edward and Bella I thought might be slightly harder to convince, but they were more content with it than I thought. So was Nessy," Alice told her, "I think as she's gotten older and has been content with Jacob they can handle being a phone call away. They've already made plans to visit on a regular basis. Once a week or so."

"I wonder how Caleb is going to feel," Rosalie thought aloud.

"He can't wait," Alice assured her.

"You told him?"

She laughed, "He promised to keep his mouth shut."

"He's not going to do that."

"I can see clearly," Alice tapped her temple with her finger, "That he will."

"And he'll probably be old enough where he can attend the prep school in the area," Rosalie said, "He looks close to a young teenager and his rapid growth spurt can be contributed to male puberty. You remember how tiny those freshman boys were when we were in "high school". Then they hit their junior year and boom, they've all got facial hair."

Alice giggled and Rosalie laughed.

"Not that I care much, but can you see if Carlisle is going to be at all angry with me for purchasing this behind his back?" Rosalie said, decreasing the level of her voice as the sentence went on.

"Has he ever been angry with you?" Alice asked.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"No," she said with strong reassurance, "And when I tell him right away that we all did this because we wanted him to work as a doctor again, he'll melt right into the palms of our hands; yours included."

Rosalie gave a smile.

Alice laughed at her round about way of pretending she didn't care about Carlisle's feelings. "And Esme will hit us with a ton of questions, but all in all it will work out."

"You said Alex and Michael are still going to come even though they just got the new house as wedding present?"

"Yes they're going to come, but Alex told me she intended to go back and forth. I don't know how they plan on doing that exactly, but we'll see. Things will fall into place."

"So, we're really doing this, huh?"

Alice nodded excitedly, "Are William and Maddy planning on going to that prep school too?"

"Yep. And Mackenzie as long as we can catch her up with society fast enough."

"Nicole too. She's already complaining about the lack of style with the uniforms though," Alice said with a laugh.

"When are we going to break the news to the parents?" Rosalie asked. Alice could tell she was having a kick with the whole scenario.

"Shall we wait for the weekend?"

She shrugged, "Sure."

Alice rubbed her hands together in a scheming type of fashion, "Oh, this is exciting. I love it here, but we haven't moved in sooo long."

"I know," Rosalie agreed.

"And the fact that Masen and Nessy are staying that means the Quileutes will continue to remain the same age. Perfect."

"Perfect," Rosalie said back.

"I think we should start with showing Carlisle his office first," Alice said, reaching for Rosalie's phone, "It's pretty awesome and there's plenty of room for all of his books."

"I can picture him and Esme having little "dates" in there," she said with a laugh, "It's more spacious than the one he has here and there's a little table. Of course we'll add our own accents."

"Of course," Alice confirmed.

"And it's so dimly lit with a little chandelier..." Rosalie added, "Look, in the picture there's even roses and a bottle of wine."

"That's how we'll sell Esme."

"Walls and walls of books and Esme in some lingerie," Rosalie said with a laugh, "That's Carlisle's fantasy."

Alice began to laugh hard at Rosalie's lighthearted teasing of Carlisle.

"Gosh, this secret is like Christmas for me," Alice told her.

"We can tell them tonight," Rosalie said.

She shook her head, "These kinds of things excite me too much. We'll tell them Friday night."

"Emmett is dying to spill it. I'll have to use my magic to keep him quiet."

"That'd be the first time," Alice told her.

"Hey!" Rosalie lightly kicked her in the calf, drawing more laughter from her sister.

She held up her hand and Rosalie gave her a high five. "The Cullen clan is moving on up," Alice said.

"It's been fun, Forks..."


	24. Is That A Yes?

**Chapter 24**

Carlisle laughed when he and Esme were approached by their enormous family. He was leaned up against his desk and then sat down on the edge in out-of-character fashion. His feet dangled from the edge and he looked to his counterpart as she still stood beside him.

"You've all decided this?" he asked, leaning back on his hands, letting his amusement at the situation be known through a wide smile, "And we're moving when?"

"In two weeks," Alexandra said, smiling. Alice nodded quickly in favor of her words.

"Hmm..." Carlisle looked at Esme, still sporting a closed-mouth grin.

"I don't think they're kidding," she said, looking him in the eye, and then back toward the oversized crowd that had gathered in the office.

"Oh, we're not," Rosalie assured them, shaking her head.

"And where are we moving to?"

"Minnesota," everyone said at once. Caleb stepped forward and shook the front of the hooded sweatshirt he was wearing that had a large "M" on the front.

"We're going," he said with a smile, "So _you_ can go back to work" He pointed at his looked around at them.

"That's right," Rosalie told him, "We've heard your talks with Esme every now and then, and the look on your face sometimes when you're bored..." She shook her head, "You had some extra spunk when you delivered Mackenzie for me."

"You're serious?" he asked, looking back toward Esme.

The two of them stared at everyone with blank looks on their faces. They had been initially convinced that it was a joke, or even wishful planning for the future.

"We're serious," Edward said with a nod.

"What about Nessy and Jacob?" Esme asked him.

Edward looked at Bella, "We've made arrangements to visit on a weekly basis."

"Masen and Leah and Cassie?" she asked, looking toward Carlisle.

Masen stepped forward out of the crowd, "We'll be up to visit once a week," he assured her, "At least the girls will. I'll work around my schedule to see you." He smiled at his mother, "If all of that's okay with you."

Esme felt a heaviness in her chest at her initial feeling of being so far from her son. She didn't want that type of distance to exist, but she brought herself back to reality with the notion that even though they lived so close now, she typically only saw him once a week.

"Mom," he said with a quick laugh as if reading her mind, "I only see you once a week now."

"This is really going to happen?" Esme asked, looking directly at him.

He nodded, still smiling, "Yep." He stepped forward and hugged her as he could see she was having trouble processing the reality of the situation.

Carlisle looked over at them for a moment, "Edward?" he asked, shaking his head.

"We'd all been talking," Edward told him, "We think it's time to move. We knew you wouldn't make the call because of all the relationships that have developed, but I can see in your mind that you want to have that career aspect back in your life. We're making that happen."

"Plus we're going to be seen more and more often," Emmett said, "We haven't changed since "high school"." He snickered at the last set of words, "So, we're going... and soon."

Carlisle took a deep breath and looked to where Masen still hovered around Esme. He then looked back at them all, focusing mostly on Edward and Alice, "Where are we going to live? It can takes months sometimes to find the right house, the right area, the right-"

"Rosalie took care of that," Alice said with a grin as she shrugged her shoulders. "We have pictures of our new... house."

"Keep an open mind," Rosalie told them. She stepped forward with her phone and began shuffling through random candid shots of their family, and Emmett "selfies" until she found the photos she'd taken of the place when she and Emmett escaped for a few days to make the final purchase.

Carlisle's eyes widened and he looked at her, "A little over the top, no?"

Alice stepped forward, "I told you you should have started with the office picture."

Esme got closer to glance at the photos with them. "Rose!" she said, putting a hand over her mouth, "That's like... a mansion."

"Our family is only going to get bigger," Alice said with a shrug, "It'll be a good space to expand without having to all live separately."

"It'll be like... the Cullen estates," Emmett said with a chuckle.

Carlisle's face still looked a little awe-struck.

"Here's the office," Alice said, pointing to the picture that was finally pulled up.

His face softened and a half-smile formed on his face. The girls exchanged a glance and a nod.

"First pick of the bedrooms is your," Alice went on with a smile, "There's a picture of each of them in Rose's phone."

"Oh, and there's a prep school," Edward added, "It's right around the corner from the house, but we'll have significant privacy where we are."

"I can see that from the gates that you have to open to get in..." Carlisle said, running his finger over the screen as he continued to flip from photo to photo. His voice was less-than-pleased, but not completely dissatisfied.

Rosalie stepped forward, "I'll admit," she said, "I was kind of the one who chose the house, and I know it's probably not the _exact_ place you would have picked, but we honestly all did it so you could work again. Esme has had some talks with us about your work, too, and I think we all felt like it was something that you deserved to do."

"That's right," Emmett said, "Me, I could sit around the house all day and play videogames sometimes," he laughed and continued, "You look lost when Esme's teaching the kids and you're at the house all day."

Carlisle snickered and looked at the two of them as Emmett slung an arm over Rosalie's shoulders. "I know it's a shock," she said, "And we went behind your back, but we've also overheard you and Esme talking about having to move somewhat soon..."

"You just overhear everything, don't you Rosalie?" Edward asked in a teasing fashion.

She glanced at him, but didn't otherwise acknowledge his comment. "We all went in on this plan for you Carlisle," Rosalie said, "And you Esme. I'm sorry, we didn't tell you first."

The two of them looked at the eager expressions of every one of their family members. Carlisle looked at Esme, who looked profoundly touched by the thoughtfulness of their actions.

"It can be our new beginning," Jasper said, speaking up for the first time.

"And we could go to a new high school," William said, "And then come to classes with you afterwards."

"Oh yeah," Rosalie said, "There's a really cute, big room in the west wing that would be perfect for a classroom."

"The west wing?" Esme asked. She began to laugh at the luxurious ring to the phrase.

"So..." Alice asked them. "What's the verdict? What do you say?"

"Minnesota..." Carlisle said, taking a deep breath. He looked at Esme, who smiled at him, causing him to smile back.

"Minnesota," she repeated, placing her hand over his on the desk.

He shrugged and looked around at everyone, "You've gone to such lengths in putting this all together." Carlisle's eyes met Esme's and she gave him a little nod with just a slight hint of anxiousness in her eyes, "And I'm taken back by the combined effort to allow me to practice medicine again..." He shook his head and cleared his throat, "You've almost got me to where I'm choked up, but, uh... wow. Thank you... all of you, thank you. You don't have to sacrifice your sense of comfort here for me."

"We're all comfortable with going to Minnesota," Bella said, drawing a nod from Edward.

"Definitely," Caleb said, "I can even go to a school."

Alice put an arm around him, "Well, you can talk that over with Mom and Dad first."

Carlisle and Esme both looked at each other and she edged herself closer to him. He brought her closer to him.

"Is this a yes?" Rosalie asked.

Carlisle managed an emotional chuckle, "As long as Esme's okay with it, I am."

Esme nodded to them all, "Yes. Yes, it's okay with me." She looked at Masen and put a hand on his face, knowing the company of he, Leah and Cassie would be her biggest sacrifice.

"Once a week," he told her, "I promise."

"Don't lie to you mother," she said, smiling as she hugged him.

"Never," he assured her.


	25. Minnesota

**Chapter 25**

Leaving Forks was emotional for everyone. For some, it was all they knew as home. They were born there, raised there, hunted their, fell in love there... For Carlisle, Esme and everyone else, the move was bittersweet. There were so many connections they were leaving behind, though everyone knew a move was imperative. Had someone seen the unchanging members of their family around town, a local mall, the movie theaters, or elsewhere, suspicions would have surely rose. Everyone had the same feeling: it's time.

Charlie was especially sad to see Bella go, as he had gotten accustomed to having her so close. He had the pleasure of stopping by on a moment's notice to see his daughter, and now that gift was taken away. He shed tears without shame, though completely understood that she was an adult and capable of living her own life. Bella, too, was sad over the distance, though she assured him that she would be back once a week to visit. The idea left him satisfied and they parted with strong emotions, but happy all in all. She was comforted with the fact that he had Sue.

"Once a week," he had said, "I'm going to hold you to that Bells."

She was content with her words and intended to do exactly as she said, for both her father's sake and her daughter's. The trips back and forth with Edward at her side would be worth it, and probably a lot of fun.

Sue, too, was saddened, as she enjoyed Esme's company greatly. They promised to get together and vowed to stay in touch online more than anything. Esme had assured her that she couldn't stay away from Masen, Leah and Cassandra for long, and so the two of them knew they would be able to do as they said, and make plans whenever possible.

Seth and Luciana were staying behind, as well in the house that Aro had purchased for the two of them. The three vampire-wolf couples had become increasingly close and still had each other to rely on.

When the cars and U-Haul trucks were all packed, and the temporary farewells were exchanged, their family began their journey along the northern border of the country. They drove straight through together, only stopping for gas when it was necessary. The northwestern states passed one by one until they reached the top left corner of the state of Minnesota.

Everyone kept in contact through their cellphones and arrived at the address of their new home all within fifteen minutes of each other. The house was mansion-like in its appearance, a combination of modern and old-fashioned, and far different than any place they had ever lived. A long driveway stretched for what felt like a half-mile from a remote back road and up toward the front of the house. An iron gate stood wide open about halfway up, allowing their cars to pass through with ease. To the side of the massive estate was a long garage with four bays, each capable of holding two cars apiece.

Surrounding the home was an oversized property, a combination of open land and trees that seemed to provide plenty of space for hunting, and even more for privacy.

"Wow," Carlisle said, pushing the visor back into place above his head to get a full view of where they would be living. He looked at Esme, who's eyes were just as wide. Caleb sat in the back of the Mercedes with a smile, "This is so awesome," he said with a laugh, reaching for the door handle before the car was in park.

Rosalie had been the first to arrive and was wandering around the exterior. She had heard Carlisle and Esme's car pull up, as well as Edward and Bella's at the same time. She waved to them all with a smile as she crossed into the driveway.

"Welcome home," she said in a friendly tone. Emmett darted across the way and scooped her up off her feet, making her laugh. Mackenzie slowly strolled up toward them, not looking as amused as everyone else.

"It's going to take us days to go through this house," Bella said, with a quick, overwhelmed laugh, "It looked big in the pictures but this is... _really_ big."

"We've lived more modestly in the past," Edward told her, glancing at his sister.

Rosalie shrugged, still happily in Emmett's arms, "We'll give a try," she said, "We don't have to stay here forever. Give it a chance."

Esme linked hands with Carlisle and walked up toward them, "We'll certainly give it a chance. Rosalie, you've picked a gorgeous house, and I don't think we've all said that enough. You put a lot of effort into making this happen."

She smiled, seeming glad to have their approval. "Thank you."

Carlisle smiled and watched as Caleb darted up toward the front door. "Is it open?" he called over his shoulder.

"It's open!" Rosalie confirmed, dangling a key in front of her face, "We'll have to make copies for everyone. I only have three right now." She took one off the key ring and tossed it to Esme, who smiled and removed her hand from Carlisle's to catch it.

"Carlisle, you have an interview a week from today at the local hospital," Alice added, lifting the back hatch of one of trucks.

"What?" he asked, "I didn't-"

"I did," she told him with a grin, "I've been contacting them via email for some time. They have your resume and you're going to get the..." she paused, "Wait, do you want the spoiler alert?"

Emmett and Edward both laughed and looked at Carlisle. They all looked toward the house for a moment upon hearing Caleb's feet running back and forth over the hardwood floors, then turned their attention back to Carlisle.

"What's the spoiler alert?" he asked with a chuckle, unable to deny that he was actually beginning to get excited about their situation.

"Unless you ditch the interview, you'll get the job," Alice told him with a grin and a shrug, "Hope I didn't ruin the surprise."

He laughed, "Well, I suppose that takes a little of the pressure off."

"No one's resume can compete with three hundred years of practice."

"I hope you didn't tell them that," he said with a laugh.

"I kept it modest."

Jasper jumped down from the U-Haul with his arms filled with heavy furniture. He smiled at them all kissed Alice on the cheek. Nicole was just behind him with an equal amount of home accents in her hands.

"And the decorating begins," she said, raising her eyebrows at her mother.

"This is going to be so much fun," Alice said, "All this space..."

Carlisle and Esme laughed and followed where Jasper began to walk inside.

"I'm going to take a tour quickly," Carlisle said, "Care to join me? Then we'll come grab some more things from the truck."

Alice scampered ahead of them toward her daughter.

"Dad!" Caleb called, perching himself out on a balcony, "This house is so amazing. It's huge! I found my room."

"You get second to last pick on the rooms there buddy," Emmett called up.

"Who's last?" Caleb asked.

"Mackenzie," he said, "She's the youngest."

"Hey," she said, "I'm your daughter."

"And the youngest," he repeated with a laugh, "I'm sure there will be rooms to spare in this mansion."

"You'll be in the same area as us," Carlisle called up to his son.

"Maybe..." he disappeared as the word left his mouth.

"Definitely!" Esme called back with a laugh, hearing his feet scraping over the floors again.

They walked to where the front door had been left open and Esme held the key in front of her toward Carlisle. She pushed the heavy door just slightly to open it the rest of the way.

Carlisle gently took the key from her hand as she gave it to him. They smiled at each other and shared a kiss in the doorway, then glanced in at the overwhelming room before them. Esme took a few steps in, sending echoed clicks from her hells over the marbled floor. She towed Carlisle by the hand and their eyes looked up toward the ceilings and walls.

He pulled her abruptly up against him from behind and cuddled her against his chest. Esme laughed, taken off guard and he spun her around to face him. She wrapped her arms around him and they shared a longer kiss under the elegant chandelier.

"We're... home," Esme whispered to him.


	26. Choosing Rooms

**Ahh! hope nobody's mad at me for leaving Forks! :)**

**Chapter 26**

Rosalie had taken the time to attempt giving a full tour of the house, despite the short attention span of the younger members of the family, and once or twice her husband. All in all, everyone was completely taken back by the size of the place. It would certainly prove to be enough room for everyone, and then some. Alice had been right in thinking ahead. In time, they would all certainly have more children, whether it be ten months from the present day, or ten years. On top of it, there was more than enough room to gain more privacy, though there were also a number of common areas where they could all certainly spend time together watching movies or playing pool.

"So, grade me," Rosalie said, "How do you like it?"

"A through F?" Edward asked with a smirk.

She gave him a looking, thinking he was going to purposely throw out the letter "C", "D" or "F".

"Just asking," he told her.

"Yes, Edward. Classic letter scoring. What do I get for choosing this house?"

He smiled, knowing she was almost hoping for a reason to jump on him. "I give it an "A" Rosalie."

Rosalie tried to hide a slight raise of her eyebrows, which was pointless seeing Edward could read her mind regardless of what was said or shown aloud. She smiled. "Thank you."

"I agree," Alice said, raising her hand.

There were nods all around.

"Rosalie," Carlisle said, "Thank you for thinking of me. It was very unselfish of you, and of everyone."

She smiled, "You're welcome Carlisle."

He smiled back and Esme took in everything with a similar grin as she leaned up against him. "We should look into that school you were all talking about," she said.

"I think Caleb could pull off a freshman in high school," Rosalie told her, "And his rapid growth spurt that's right around the corner will help him progress through the next three grades without a problem."

Esme nodded, seeming to agree with her.

Carlisle, too, agreed it would be a good idea. The thought of him falling for a human girl crossed his mind, making Edward laugh. The two of them shared a smile and Carlisle looked down.

"What?" Esme and Rosalie both asked.

Edward continued grinning, "Carlisle is just a little nervous that Caleb might... do what I did." He looked at Bella.

"What fall in love with a fragile, human girl?" Bella asked, looking into his eyes.

Edward snickered again and Carlisle smiled, shaking his head.

"Nah," Caleb said, "Not a big fan of human girls."

Carlisle began to laugh, as did Edward, Emmett and Jasper.

Caleb smiled at his father, then began to laugh with them.

"You say that now," Edward said, looking at Bella again before slinging an arm around her.

"Do you still loveeee Alice?" Emmett asked Caleb.

"What?" he asked shyly and taken off guard. "I don't love Alice... like that."

Alice and Jasper both laughed.

"I remember when you had a huge crush on her," Alexandra said to her brother.

"_Had_," he said, looking at Alice now, "No offense. I'm just afraid of Jasper so I had to ignore my feelings."

Esme shook her head and smiled and Carlisle laughed again.

"The humans aren't hard to resist," William said.

"That's easy to say, you have Maddy," Mackenzie said, "If Channing Tatum was at this prep school, I'd consider getting up the courage to ask him out."

"Well, this ain't 21 Jump Street," Emmett told her.

"He is cute though," Rosalie whispered to her daughter, who nodded.

Emmett laughed, "Cuter than me?"

"Not even close," she told him, kissing him on the lips.

Mackenzie made a face, as all of them typically did when seeing a display of affection from their parents.

"What room do you guys want?" Rosalie asked, looking at Esme.

"I liked the one in the back right corner that looks out onto the back patio," she said with a shrug, looking at Carlisle.

He smiled, "Whatever you want is fine by me."

"Bella and I are taking the next one over," Edward said, looking at Rosalie.

"I didn't want that one anyway," she told him, "Emmett and I are planning on taking the bottom level one by the pool." A smile formed on her face.

Alice pulled Jasper by the hand, "We have a few different ones in mind." She looked at him, "Let's go decide."

"Do you like the office?" Emmett asked Carlisle, knowing it was something that Rosalie had talked about several times.

He nodded, "I do. It's the biggest home office I've ever had."

"Fireplace and all," Rosalie said with a smile. "You really like it?"

"I do," Carlisle assured her.

The two of them smiled.

"Caleb," Esme said, "Choose a room in the same vicinity as us upstairs."

He didn't put up a fight, seeming to have already had his eyes on a space he liked. "Okay." He darted toward a tall staircase around the corner from where they stood.

The rest of the family began to disperse, still checking out the house for themselves.

Carlisle and Esme strolled slowly around the lower level for the second time, ending up on the patio that looked up toward the balcony outside what would soon become their bedroom.

He sighed and looked at her.

"What?" Esme asked, looking at him with a small smile.

"I'd never had a fear that one of them would fall for a human, so I liked having the kids in school. It kept them social. Maybe they learned a new thing or two. Culture changes all the time, as do educational tactics and methods of learning." Carlisle said.

"You're worried Caleb may fall for a human girl if he goes to school?" she asked.

He shrugged, "I don't know. A little, I guess."

Esme smiled at him, "Well, our family is two for two in that department."

He smiled at her, knowing she was referring to their relationship, and the relationship of Edward and Bella. From day one she had never been unhappy about their pairing. It was just the opposite. Carlisle loved that Esme was "pro-love". Still, the complications of Edward and Bella's relationship earlier on made him slightly anxious at the possibility of a repeat.

"Carlisle," she said, placing her hands on chest, "Everything will work out just fine. No worrying. He hasn't even been enrolled yet. Maybe he won't until next year, who knows?"

He smiled, knowing she was right. Her happy nature made him loosen up a bit. "You're right."

"I know," she teased with a wide grin, kissing him once on the lips.

Carlisle snickered lightly and kissed her a second time.

"We'll have a long talk about this tonight, okay?" she asked.

He nodded, "Okay."

Esme took his hand, looking up toward their room again. "Should we go unload the trucks?"

Carlisle nodded again and he called out to Caleb to join them in the driveway. Everyone hoped by that night they would all at least be settled in their rooms so they could begin to make the new place feel like home.


	27. Delilah

**Chapter 27**

Aro sat across from the young girl that Jane had changed when their coven had come to a conclusion. She was a willing victim and practically obsessed with the idea of immortality. Her demeanor wasn't quite as a sassy, strong or arrogant as the rest of them, but her human life had been a constant downward spiral. At age seventeen she had been on her own, after bouncing from family to family, school to school, and country to country her entire life. Like many, she had heard the rumors of the vampires that lived in Volterra and was one of the many that chose to believe them. When Jane had approached and took her down into their lair, it provided her with an escape from a life she wished to forget.

To the core, Aro could see that the young lady was just slightly too pure for the coven, almost like Carlisle in a sense. It was why he needed her; to use her to his advantage. He knew she had nothing, and so he made her into something that she viewed as a better hand than the one she had been previously dealt. The Volturi had trained her to live off the blood of animals as a first step to fit in with the Cullens, and to attend the school their children would soon be attending. She had no idea what their family was like, aside from the very skewed perception left in her mind through Jane more than anyone. The others piggybacked on her words, though she was the most vocal on why they needed to be spied on.

"We have reason to believe they're plotting against us," she had said, "Help us find out whatever information you can and you'll have an eternal seat with the guard."

The young woman had agreed. It was her struggle with the blood situation that caused there to be a delay in the plan the Volturi would soon put into effect. In the whole spectrum of things, she was still a newborn. Due to her rather calm nature from her human life, however, she had managed to move along with the process of drinking only animal blood in an above-average fashion. Aro wholeheartedly supported the cause, only because it was a perfect plan. While he had no ill-feelings toward the Cullens, per se, the idea of spying on them was something he was greatly looking forward to.

"Delilah," he spoke, noting her progress had greatly increased over the past several weeks, "Do you feel ready to take on your task, or shall we present more challenges to you to make sure?"

She looked at him with determination and nodded, "I feel ready."

"Are you sure, my dear? I would hate for you to cause a scene if you suddenly felt tempted in the middle of a history lesson."

"I'm ready," she repeated, "I hardly noticed the last time there was a... a human down here." The thought of referring to others as humans, as a separate identity from herself was something she hadn't quite gotten used to.

"I need to speak with you about another thing," Aro told her, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Alright," she agreed, seeming eager to do as he asked.

"Human blood aside, there is one other request I _highly_ recommend you obey."

Delilah nodded, her brown hair remaining pin straight and angled perfectly by her face.

"Don't fall in love," Aro told her. "If you can resist human blood, as well as the subjects at hand, the rest of eternity will be highly yours for the keeping."

She smiled, though didn't want to mock him by laughing. She remained composed. "I don't think either of those things will be a problem."

He smiled, convinced her words. "Wonderful."

"When do I start?" she asked, "And what's the backstory? Caius told me there would be one."

"Indeed," Aro said with a nod, "We'll be paying for you to attend the highly regarded academy that some of the Cullen children will be attending. Your story will be that you're a Canadian native, which is not a stretch because you are. They'll know you're a vampire, so don't hide the fact. Your deceased parents left you a lump sum of money and you'll be using it for your education. You'll also be staying on the school's campus."

"Jane showed me the photographs of the kids," Delilah told him, "William, Madison, Caleb..." Her voice drifted as she tried thinking of the other names.

"Alexandra, Michael and Mackenzie."

She nodded, "Sorry."

"It's quite alright, my dear. You'll have the plane ride over to study up on what we've talked about. And do not for any reason go over to the Cullen house. We've talked about Edward's ability. Alice, too; she can see the future, but as long as you stay on course, you'll be fine. Never, for any reason, refer to our coven or Italy in general."

She nodded again.

Aro tried to remain as warm as he possibly could. In comparison to others it wasn't much, though for him the act was a stretch. "Also, make sure you ditch all the papers and photos before your arrival."

"I will," she agreed.

"Get close to Caleb, if you could. He's young and will be the easiest to influence. He's never been romantically involved, but from what Jane has said he is rapidly approaching maturity and the opposite sex will surely be noticeable to him now."

Delilah snickered, then straightened back up when Aro didn't so much as smile. "How old is he?"

"Age is but a number in our world, but he looks to be about fourteen."

"Fourteen?" she asked, trying not to show how displeased she was.

"By the time you arrive, he'll be older."

"I thought vampires didn't grow," she asked, seeing his was becoming impatient with her questions.

Aro continued to smile, "Except for the eclipse children."

Delilah nodded, still hiding her displeasure in the thought of flirting with a freshman in high school. In the private school she had been attending prior to being changed into an immortal, she and the other seniors had made it a point to tease the youngest class in the building.

"May I?" he asked, reaching for her hand, "I'd care to know your thoughts."

Delilah raised her hand, a bit nervous but didn't object as Aro grasped it and was let into her mind. After several seconds, he looked at her with a smile.

"Asking Caleb to a dance or two is a small price to pay for immortality and a seat with our coven, is it not?" he asked, "Others have had to undergo far more difficult tasks to be given the opportunity that you will."

She shook her head, "I'm willing to do anything you ask Aro. It's not at all a problem."

He smiled again, knowing the thought was just something that passed through her mind quickly. His confidence in the young lady was strong. "I plan on keeping you here for another month before you go, just to make sure your will power is as strong as I suspect. The young man will be at least slightly older by then." Aro wanted to part on words that wouldn't allow her to change her mind. While he could easily just do away with her, he'd invested too much time to just throw her away.

A smile crossed Delilah's face, "Thank you for the opportunity."

"Remember my two pieces of advice."

"Don't drink human blood," she said.

"And don't fall in love," Aro finished.

They both smiled and made their way to separate areas of the Volturi compound. Delilah was ready to go, and Aro was just a month away from kicking their plan off.


	28. Two Weeks

**Chapter 28**

"So they're going to start this coming semester?" Esme asked, looking at Carlisle as she dusted the bookcases in his office. He sat at his desk, facing her but had his mind engulfed in a medical book.

"Yeah," he said, flipping to the next page.

She looked over her shoulder at him and saw his eyes scanning the page before he thumbed through the next few pages before referring back to the one he was on. A smile decorated her face, "First shift is in two days?"

Carlisle looked up at her and he sent a a closed-mouth smile her way, "Yeah."

"Nervous?" she continued smiling at him.

He snickered and shrugged, "Same old routine. I walked around the hospital after they called to tell me I got the job." He sighed, "Maybe just a little because I don't know anyone there yet."

"I'm sure they'll love you like everyone else has," Esme told him.

"We'll see." He winked at her.

She turned and continued to clean the minimal dust that had gathered in the room, finishing just as Carlisle had had enough of the book for one day. He closed it and left it face down, pushing it slightly in front of him before leaning back in his chair.

"The next semester starts in two weeks," Carlisle told her, "So that's when they'll start then huh?"

"That's when they'll start," Esme confirmed with a nod.

"At least William and Maddy have the gist of what school is like. They can kind of set an example for everyone else."

"I think Alex and Michael will be fine."

He nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure they will."

"What do you think about Caleb?"

Carlisle sighed, "I think he'll be alright, too. He makes me nervous at times, but I don't see a reason why he shouldn't go."

"He's starting to get tall," Esme pointed out, "His voice is beginning to change."

He ran a hand through his hair, "Human girls..."

Esme shushed him, "Stop. He'll be fine."

"I hope so."

"He will. Give him some credit."

Carlisle felt a little bad, knowing he was already worrying too in depth about actions that Caleb hadn't even taken. "I do need to give him a chance."

"Yes, you do," she said, approaching him to give him a kiss on the forehead. "He will do just fine. And believe it or not he pays attention when I teach them. He doesn't fool around."

"He's smart. He likes to learn. I just hope his street smarts can keep up."

"I already had a chat with his big sister. She won't let him get into too much trouble."

Carlisle smiled and looked around the room, glancing up at the ceilings that seemed to tower over them. The dim lighting almost made it seem like there was nothing above them. "So, they're our niece and nephew then?" he asked, "I suppose they've been hidden for so long that no one from Forks could even contest it."

"Niece and nephew," Esme nodded, "Let's just hope they don't slip up and call us Mom and Dad in front of anyone."

"And with the experience Alice included on my resume that she submitted, I'm supposedly 31."

"As am I," she said with a smile, "Finally, we're the same age."

Carlisle snickered. "Well, we'll see how this all goes. Big test with all of our latest family members, seeing as though they've only been around for a short period of time. I think they all understand the importance of keeping our identities safe. And they've been to the movies, and ball games out in Seattle and other random public places."

Esme nodded, "Have faith in our children."

"I do."

Caleb knocked on the open door and made his way inside, "I promise this whole school thing will go smoothly."

"We know," Esme told him, striding slowly toward where he stood.

"Really, though." He cleared his throat, "I know what to do and what not to do. I'm in perfect control of how fast I move around, even on a whim or an instinct I can control myself. I won't act up in my classes. I don't think I'm ready for a real girlfriend yet; I mean maybe, but I don't know. I don't really have too much of that in mind."

Carlisle smiled, and felt slightly bad again for underestimating him. "Did you hear us talking?" he asked.

Caleb shrugged, "A little. I just want to try to give you a piece of mind. I'm going to attend my classes, get to know some kids in school and come home with Alex and Michael and everyone."

"No dunking basketballs," Carlisle told him, lightening up the situation, "And as much as I'd love you to play-"

"I know," he said with a smirk, "I can't try out for the baseball team."

Both of them smiled at him. Carlisle stood up and pulled him in for a brief hug. "I just worry about you, that's all. It's your first time kind of being involved with humans on a regular basis, outside of the Quileute tribe."

"They don't really count because they know about us," Caleb told him, still smiling, "And they have their own 'super powers'."

He nodded.

"But seriously," Caleb went on, "I won't do anything to make us look bad, or look stupid."

Carlisle sighed and looked down for a moment, then back up to his son, who's height was slowly catching up to his own. "Caleb, I'm sorry if I gave you that impression at all with what I was talking to Mom about. We both trust you, and you could never make us look bad. You're a very smart young man and the more you're exposed to, the more knowledge you'll gain."

He shrugged, "Thanks."

"We mean it," Esme said, "We just love you and this is new for us with both you and Alex. I'm sure Alice and Jasper feel the same way about Nicole, and Emmett and Rosalie probably are having these thoughts about Mackenzie. That's really the only reason why we're nervous; because it's all new to us."

"I know," Caleb said with a nod, "I understand. I just want you to know what I feel comfortable about it all. I feel good about going to this school. I want to know what it's like to be in a class, and have a locker and notebooks and homework..."

Carlisle smiled at him. "I'm glad you're going to get the chance to do that here. You deserve to experience all of that."

"I won't let you guys down," he said in a promising tone.

Esme hugged him for several seconds, seeming as if she didn't want to let go, then kissed the top of his head, barely able to do so without stretching up on her toes. "We love you."

"Yeah, I love you too."

Caleb looked at them and shrugged, "Alright, well, I'm going to back to my room."

They both nodded and Esme gave him a quick, "Okay."

He smiled and slowly crossed back out through the doorway and into the hall.

Carlisle looked at Esme with a guilty expression, making her smile.

"He's fine," she assured him.

"I feel a little bad," he admitted, "But I have to say that I'm not as worried after listening to him just now."

"Don't feel bad," Esme said, "I heard Emmett and Rosalie running through a number of scenarios regarding Mackenzie, and I know Alice is just slightly more nervous than Jasper is for Nicole going to high school."

"He's not worried?" Carlisle asked.

"I think he is a little bit, but I think he feels as if he could do it as many times as he did, especially with his struggle with human blood, that she'll have no problem with it. He sees her being able to cruise through on a whim like Alice did."

He smiled, "Did he tell you that?"

Esme now was the one with a slightly guilty expression, "Edward let me pick his brain a little. I asked him what everyone else was thinking about the kids going to school for the first time and he told me." She laughed lightly and Carlisle smiled wide and shook his head. "What?" she asked, sill laughing.

He pulled her in for a hug and kissed her. "So they were all kind of on the same page as us?"

She nodded, "More or less. Rose and Emmett have a little bit of comfort from the success of William and Maddy."

"Makes sense," Carlisle said.

Esme nodded again. "We'll be fine and then this routine will become just that... routine."

"I'm sure it will."

"Two weeks," she said.

"Two weeks." Carlisle stared at her for a moment before she finally smiled to ease his mind.

"Things will be just like when we moved back to Washington," she said, "Everything will fall into place."

He nodded and kissed her, as he sensed that was what she wanted and tried to let his worries roll off his back. Only time would tell what would happen for their family at their new home.


	29. A Counter Plan

**Chapter 29**

"They messed up," Alice said, shaking her head, "They're sending someone here to attend school. I've seen it. They tried to hide certain things, but unlike Victoria with Riley, I was able to see it. Her name is Delilah and she's going to try to be some type of mole for the Volturi."

"Why?" Carlisle asked, sitting on the edge of a seat in the large dining room on the first floor of their home.

"They think they can gain some insight," she shrugged, "Maybe they're just looking for a reason to start trouble. I don't know for sure."

"Maybe we shouldn't have them attend," he said, looking at Esme.

"No," Caleb said in protest, "No. I want to go. We're enrolled."

"I know," Carlisle started, "But-"

"Why don't we just call her out on it when she gets here?" he asked.

"I don't know who particularly cares or not," Alice said, "But if we do that, which is an option several of you are thinking of, myself included, she'll die the second she reports back to Aro."

Carlisle sighed and looked down. Esme put a hand on his back and looked at Caleb.

"Is that really a problem?" Jasper asked, prompting a half-hearted agreeing look from Emmett.

"Is she a newborn?" Bella asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She leaned up against the wall next to where they sat.

"Not quite anymore," Alice said, "But they created her specifically to come here to, well, spy basically."

Emmett snickered, "Spy," he said, shaking his head.

"I think Jane suspects we have more contact with Micah and Helen than we've been leading on," Alice said, "But she hasn't said it flat out as far as I can see."

"Who cares what happens to her?" Caleb asked, looking at Emmett for support, "Right? I say we call her out on her game."

"I would hate to see her... die," Carlisle said, "She's obviously naïve and I'm sure they've told terrible lies about us."

Alice nodded, "Yep."

He sighed, "Maybe we can show her that we're not who they've made us out to be."

"Doubtful," Jasper said.

"They've brainwashed her pretty good," Alice said, "I wish I could see her human background."

Emmett's posture perked up as he had an idea, "Why don't we beat them at their own game?"

Rosalie looked at him, "What do you mean?"

Edward nodded, brushing through his brother's thoughts. Emmett smiled when he realized what he was doing.

"We can pretend we don't know that she's their "mole" and feed her lies, or just dance around her obvious set-ups," he said, "Right Edward?"

Edward nodded a second time, "I think that could be beneficial. We'll lead her on to think that her plan is working. That way," he looked at Carlisle, "She'll avoid be killed for "failing" at Aro's plan, and maybe simultaneously _we'll_ be able to gather information."

Jasper began to nod.

"Hey, this is my idea," Emmett claimed, seeing Jasper was looking at Edward. The two of them laughed.

"I know, Em," Jasper said, then looked at Carlisle and Esme, "What do you think?"

"It won't get her killed?" Esme asked.

Alice's eyes scanned back and forth as if she were reading a book. Everyone knew her visions were changing upon the new idea that was circling around in everyone's minds. She shook her head, "No. They'll buy it. We should be okay. She should as far as I can tell." Her eyes fixed on Caleb, "She's going to target you."

"Me?" he asked, "Target me how?"

Carlisle and Esme were now highly focused on Alice.

"She's going to flirt with you; try to be cute with you," she explained, "To try to get information from you."

A smile formed on his face and he snickered. His eye caught Emmett's, who smiled. Carlisle and Esme didn't seem so amused.

"I don't want her to..." Carlisle shook his head, unable to find the words he was looking for. He looked at Caleb, "Caleb..." A thoughtful look crossed his face and stuck there as he continued to struggle to communicate.

"Dad," Caleb said, "This could be kind of fun."

"Fun?" Esme asked.

"Yeah," he said, looking at her as if to say 'are you kidding me?' "I'll pretend to go along with whatever games she's playing, but I'll frustrate the hell out of her by not falling into her trap."

The two of them looked at their son with wide eyes at his choice of words.

"Sorry," he said, making a face. His eyes looked over toward the other males in the family, all of whom smiled to themselves. Caleb, in turn, smiled again and looked at Carlisle and Esme. "Look, I've always been the "baby" of the family and I never get to help. This is something I can handle, and you don't have to worry about me getting hurt. I'm a _man_ now. I can handle this."

The sentence drew loud laughter from both Emmett and Jasper, and a more quiet bout of laughter from Edward. Caleb laughed again and looked at his parents. Neither of them smiled despite how funny the rest of them found it.

"Dad," Caleb said, "I want to go school I don't want to see this girl die. What other options do we have? We're ahead of the game. We have the Volturi's game plan. All we have to do is exactly what Emmett, Edward and Jasper said."

"What Emmett said," Emmett corrected with a smile.

"What _Emmett _said," Caleb corrected himself, "And what Edward and Jasper agreed upon."

"Count me in on that," Alice said, "It's a great idea."

"I'll be there to check this girl out, too," Alexandra said, jumping in, "I'll knock her out if she tries anything too cute with Caleb."

Carlisle and Esme looked at their daughter, equally surprised by her words as they had been Caleb's a moment before.

"I don't want this to end badly," Carlisle said, "Caleb, you haven't been exposed to a lot outside of the confines of our home, and our family and friends. Between beginning school with a bunch of humans, and this, it may be too much for you to handle, or process, at once."

He shook his head and began to speak before Esme could, "I'll be fine," he said, "Attending school will be different, but I don't think I'll have much of a problem once I get comfortable."

"Once you get comfortable is right," Esme told him, dying to speak as he had cut her off, "You're not there yet, Caleb. And if," she looked at Alice, "What's her name?"

"Delilah," Alice said.

"If Delilah comes in and throws a curveball into the plans, like your father said, it may be too much."

"You said last night not to underestimate me," Caleb said, approaching them, "Please. The only other option is not going to school. So, what I'm suppose to just hide out forever?" He got up from where he sat and paced back and forth a few feet in either direction, "And if I don't go now, you think they'll just forget they have a plan? They'll find another way to come mess with us. At least this time we know about it. Maybe next time we won't if they figure out how to properly play with the holes in Alice's vision like what's her name did." He looked across the room.

"Victoria," Alice said, exchanging a glance with Bella, who still got chills from her name.

"Yeah," Caleb went on, "I know the stories. You had to face an army, would you rather do that? Or can you trust me?" His eyes burned into Carlisle's, who wasn't quite sure what to say at that moment.

"We do have the upper hand here," Jasper reminded him, "The Volturi don't suspect that we know, and if we play along we could be the ones getting insight."

"I'll be going to school and pretending to flirt with a girl," Caleb said, "Who I might add is newer to this life than I am. She might be older than me in human years, but I have her beat in the immortal world. And Mom, from your awesome lessons, I know all about vampires from all over. I have the history that she doesn't."

Edward laughed, knowing he had thrown the word 'awesome' in there as brownie points with Esme.

Carlisle looked over at him and Edward stopped laughing.

"Carlisle, I don't think the risks are all that great. The school is right around the corner. We'll all be close by and it's not just Caleb attending. They'll all be there."

"And guess who will be substituting on occasion?" Emmett asked, high-fiving Alice.

"What?" Carlisle asked.

"We just got hired per-diem, "Alice told him, snickering to herself.

"They already have me lined up for Phys. Ed," Emmet told them, smiling still.

"Dad..." Caleb said, "See. It's either this or she dies."

Carlisle knew his son was using whatever he could to make him comply with the rest of them. He hoped he wouldn't regret his next words, but he nodded upon feeling Esme's hand on his shoulder, "If anything feels out of order, we're going to tell her that we know of her plans. I don't want to see anything happen to her, especially if she's been manipulated, but I also can't stand by and see our family be put in jeopardy."

"You have to keep us updated daily, Alice," Esme said.

"Of course," she said with a nod, winking at Caleb just after. He smiled.

"We have two weeks to come up with some type of strategy," Carlisle said. He looked directly at his son, "We have a lot to talk about before the first day of school."

"Yes, sir," Caleb said with a grin.

"I'll teach him all about flirting," Emmett said with a chuckle.

"Emmett," Rosalie said, "You're not making his case."

"No, you're not," Esme said, shaking her head.

Caleb laughed and looked at Alice. "Want to take me school shopping?"

Everyone was lighthearted in nature, except for Carlisle and Esme. Edward tried easing their minds, but with little success. They were half-heartedly on board with the plan, though still thought Caleb was immature in comparison to almost everyone else in the family. They didn't want to see him slip up, or be put in harm's way. On the other hand, they knew from Alice's words that Delilah wasn't brighter than him, or more knowledgeable in regards to the word of immortals. While that gave them some push in the direction the rest of them were in, it didn't completely ease their minds. Still, for the time being, they chose to give the plan a shot. The two of them just hoped they wouldn't regret it.


	30. First Day Jitters

**I made a trailer for Starlight on You tube. Check it out. Go to the you tube website and then paste: /watch?v=YeYUBzm8OdU**

**It would be cool if anyone checked it out. Took me awhile. :) Thanks all for the continued reviews and everything.**

* * *

**Chapter 30**

Caleb was excited and nervous for his first day of school. He laughed at the lunch Esme had packed for him as more of a prop than anything. She'd packed similar ones for Alex and Michael. Rosalie and Alice made sandwiches for Mackenzie, William, Madison and Nicole.

"You sure you'll be fine getting over there?" Esme asked, looking at all of them, particularly her son.

He nodded, not quite as openly confident as he had been over the course of the several weeks leading up to the day at hand. He mature, yet innocent and inexperienced, particularly in his eyes; they gave him away.

Esme kissed him on the forehead and hugged him, "Call us if you need anything."

He smiled and shrugged, "We'll be fine Mom. The school is five minutes away."

She smiled back and looked at Alex and Michael, "Look after each other."

"No problem," Michael assured her, "Caleb is in a couple of the elective classes I have, like ceramics." He pulled his schedule from his pocket.

"And basket-weaving?" Nicole joked with a laugh, drawing one from both Alex and Mackenzie.

"Yes, basket-weaving," Michael said, making them laugh harder.

"I love the accent," Mackenzie told him, still giggling.

He shrugged and Alex laughed again, hugging him. "We're just kidding."

He laughed with them, "I know."

Alice walked over and showed Caleb the drawing of Delilah that she had created. "Remember what she looks like. This is somewhat accurate."

"You should be able to smell her from a mile away," Rosalie told them.

His eyes scanned the photo, "Blondish-brown hair?" he asked.

Alice nodded, "Pretty much; light brown, dark blond, whatever you want to call it."

"Alright." Caleb looked at Esme, then hugged her.

"Sorry Dad had to be at work. He wanted to be here with you before you left for your first day," Esme told him.

He smiled, "We walked before he left. It's fine."

She kissed his forehead again.

"See ya this afternoon," he said.

Esme nodded and walked toward the front door with everyone. They all said their temporary farewells, before William and Michael hopped into the driver seat's of their respective cars and headed toward the posh, private school that stood less than a mile from their home.

A gate similar to the one in their own driveway stood at the school's main entrance. A guard waved each of their cars through upon spotting the parking tags that hung from the rearview mirrors of each car.

Michael looked at Alex and smiled, placing his hand in hers as they headed up toward the collection of brick buildings that made up the campus. Along the way they passed several soccer fields and a well-maintained baseball field, before reaching the area of student parking.

Caleb climbed out of the back seat, slinging his book bag over one shoulder. He smirked and stared up toward the main building that was titled Cambridge Hall and glanced down at the schedule in his hand. "Most of my classes are in here," he said, looking at his sister, "The first three periods anyway."

Alex smiled at him and asked Michael for the schedule of hers that he'd kept in his pocket, seeing as she didn't have pockets in the knee length gray skirt she was required to wear. He handed it to her and she flipped it open.

"I have my second period class in here, but that's it," she said. Her eyes scanned the premises, catching a few stares from some of the male students as they passed by.

Michael stepped a few inches closer and kept his hand around her waist, feeling just a twinge of jealousy from their wandering eyes. Alex smiled and looked at him, giving him a reassuring kiss on the lips once.

"That's my cue to leave," Caleb said, pointing toward the building in front of them.

"Wait," Alex said, "Find us at lunch, okay?"

"Okay," he said, beginning to walk away.

"Caleb!" she called. He turned around for a moment, waving as the rest of their group joined up with Alex and Michael in the parking lot. "Be careful."

"I will," he assured his sister, then made eye contact with Mackenzie, "Are you coming?" he asked, knowing their first class was together.

She nodded and looked at Nicole, "Good luck," she told her with a grin.

"You too girl," Nicole said, "I can't wait to scope out the boys here."

"We'll be watching you," William joked, "No human boys."

A whistle from somewhere in the parking lot came right on cue and Nicole raised her eyebrows at William. "I'll see what I can do," she said with a laugh.

Mackenzie hurried to catch up with Caleb as eagerly strode toward the main entrance of Cambridge Hall. "Wait up!" she called, prompting him to slow down just slightly.

He glanced over at her with a smile, then took it upon himself to open the big, wooden door so she could enter before him.

"Thank you," she said with a nod.

"You're welcome."

Mackenzie strolled in through the door with Caleb just behind her. They made their way through the old halls of the building, glancing around at their brand new surroundings. The teenagers that lined the hallways stared at them, already taken back by the unusually beautiful students that would now be attending classes with them. The two of them shared several smiles as they searched for their first period classroom as they heard the quiet whispers that weren't meant for them to hear.

"Who are _they_?" one girl asked her friend.

"That girl's hot," another boy said to a group of jocks.

"He's cute. He's not a freshman is he?"

The comments were almost endless on the walk up until they finally rounded into room 68 where their first English class at the academy would kick off in less than five minutes. As they entered, the few early-bird students stared up at them, though no one said anything. Even the teacher looked surprised, despite having received an updated class list. She looked at them through a pair of modern bifocals and smiled.

"Well, hello," she said in a friendly tone, "You must be Caleb and Mackenzie... Cullen?" Her eyes dropped to the paper on her desk to confirm the names.

"Yes ma'am," Caleb said.

"Yes," Mackenzie said with a nod.

The middle-aged woman smiled, "Welcome."

"Thank you," they said at the same time.

"I believe the only seats available are the three in the back row," she told them, "I hope you'll be able to see the board from there."

They both smiled, knowing they could practically see for a mile out the window without squinting, never mind the modern, white erase board twenty feet in front of them.

"That will be fine," Caleb told her, smiling wide.

"I'm Mrs. Henry," the woman told them. "If you follow me to the cabinet, I'll get you the book that I just handed out before the mid-term exams that took place last week. There haven't been any assignments yet, though I suggested it would be smart for the class to get a head start on the first two chapters. You won't be behind. I'm going to introduce the book more in depth today. It's called The Lord of the Flies." She waved a hand and headed for the back of the room.

The students in class stare as they passed, prompting quiet hello's from both Caleb and Mackenzie. The students returned the simple, polite words and tried not to stare.

"We printed out the syllabus from your website," Mackenzie told her.

"Well, I suppose you're the first," Mrs. Henry said with a laugh, "But good, I'm glad you're prepared." She handed each of them a copy of the book and smiled then repeated the word, "Welcome," and made her way back to the front of the room.

A moment later, the first bell rang and the two of them sat down in the empty chairs in the back row by the window. Students gradually filtered into the classroom, some staring right at them for an extra long moment, and others too tired to care.

Caleb and Mackenzie talked quietly amongst themselves before they each stopped at the same time and looked toward the doorway. They sensed her at the same time and waited, knowing they couldn't speak out loud about the _other_ new girl that would be attending the school without blowing their cover.

"Welcome," Mrs. Henry said in the same tone, "My name is Mrs. Henry. You are-"

"Delilah," she said sweetly, "Delilah Rivers."

"Yes, Delilah." The friendly teacher went through the same routine as she had with the two of them.

Caleb nudged Mackenzie subtly and stared as the girl had her back to them. They desperately wanted to speak, but didn't dare. Caleb was about to pull out his cell phone to text her, but Mrs. Henry pointed in their direction, as the empty seat next to him loomed with her presence.

Delilah nodded to the teacher and smiled, making eye contact with Caleb, who swallowed hard to himself as she sat beside him. By now, more eyes were in their general direction until the teacher got their attention to the front of the room to begin the day's lesson.

"Hey," Delilah said in a whisper, looking at Caleb.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye for a moment before turning slightly toward her, "Hi," he said.

"I'm Delilah. I'm new here."

He felt like he was about to clam up. "Um..." he cleared his throat, "I'm... I'm Caleb," he whispered, "And so am I."

Mackenzie waved as the girl acknowledged her, "Mackenzie," she whispered.

"Delilah."

"Open your books to the first page," Mrs. Henry said, "We'll read just the first paragraph. Does anyone care to volunteer for this, or shall I choose randomly?"

"I will," Delilah raised her hand.

Mrs. Henry smiled, "Well, thank you."

Delilah glanced at Caleb again and smiled, then began reading, feeling his eyes on her. Mackenzie moved her foot slowly across the floor and kicked him lightly. Caleb snapped his head in her direction, seeming to be startled. He suddenly felt more nervous than he had in the two weeks of mental preparation. He doubted himself slightly, but re-focused on what was at hand. He didn't want to accidentally blow their plan because he couldn't take the pressure.

_First day jitters_, he told himself. His eyes met Mackenzie's for a moment and he suddenly couldn't wait for the period to be over so they could talk and regroup. Caleb thought about everything they'd talked about and his mind felt cloudy. He then remembered Emmett's words of encouragement and how confident his brother was.

_I can do this_, he thought, _no problem..._


	31. Stick to the Plan

**Chapter 31**

Carlisle loosened his tie and paced slightly anxiously while Esme sat far more calmly with a magazine in a comfortable chair that took up space in the corner of their room. He spoke quietly, though knew Caleb was down in the pool with some of the others.

"Edward said his mind was going haywire," he said, more or less whispering.

"It was only his first day," Esme assured him.

"I don't want him to feel like he has to do this," Carlisle said, remaining quiet, "It's like... being an undercover cop. It can end up being too much; too overwhelming."

"He talked to me a little bit when he got home from school, before you were back from work."

He stopped pacing for a moment, "What did he say?"

Esme closed the magazine and placed it on the arm of the chair, "I asked him how it went, and he admitted that when he first saw her he clammed up a bit; he got nervous." She nodded and looked at Carlisle, "But as the class period went on he felt better and with Mackenzie's support he was fine. They have the class together. It was the only one she was in with him."

"Does his schedule vary from day to day?"

She nodded, "I've looked over it a hundred times, so I suppose there's a chance they could see each other more often, but more than half of his classes he has with one of the other kids."

"I just hope it doesn't become too overbearing," Carlisle said, keeping an extra ear out as he spoke.

"If it does," Esme said, "Then we'll make arrangements and either have him not attend, or we'll be up front with the girl and tell her we know what's going on."

He sighed and ran a hand across the side of his face then looked at her. "You think it's alright?"

She shrugged, "He came to me without me having to dig for details and told me everything that happened. He even admitted how nervous he was at first, which I was surprised about because he was so confident going into this."

Carlisle nodded and looked around, then looked back to his wife.

"I think there's a possibility that it could become too much," Esme told him, "But I also think there's the possibility that it could go the opposite way. When he stops communicating with me, I'll start to worry a little more, but that's what Edward and Alice are for. They'll be able to tell if something isn't right. I've already had talks with both of them several times about that."

"I've talked with Edward a few times, myself," he told her. A short sigh left his mouth and he put his hands on her hips, "So I suppose it's alright then... for now."

"For now," Esme said with a nod, "Mackenzie praised him a little to me, too, which is nice. They're starting to get a little closer, which is nice. The constant bickering between them has died down." She smiled, allowing Carlisle to do the same.

"Yeah, they were about as bad as Edward and Rosalie were for awhile," he whispered, then laughed again.

She snickered and shrugged, then glanced back at the magazine for a moment.

"So, what do we do?" he asked her.

Esme looked up at him with a seductive smile and ran her foot up the inside of his leg, stopping about halfway up and lightly locked her foot around the back of his knee. "Well, there is _one_ thing we haven't done since we've moved here."

Carlisle laughed and let a smile linger on his face, truly taking in for the first time how incredibly sexy her outfit was.

"What do you think I just happened to throw this on?" she asked, playing with the skimpy black fabric that made up the spaghetti strap top she had on.

He smiled again and let the persistent pull her bare foot had on his leg lead him just slightly in her direction. He dropped himself down slowly, catching his body with his hands on the arms of the chair.

Esme let him lean all the way down to her as he took her lips with his own. She wrapped her arms around him and the two of them kissed passionately for a moment before Carlisle pulled back.

"Okay, just so I can have a peace of mind," he started, looking down at her body beneath his.

Esme giggled and undid his tie, pulling it from around the collar of his dressy, button-down shirt.

"We take Caleb's situation day by day, and if things get too much for him we step in."

She nodded, still smiling, and placed a hand on the side of his face. "That sounds like the best approach to me. I'll check in with him every day."

Carlisle smiled back, "Alright." He leaned himself all the way down and kissed her with a gentle enthusiasm, leading Esme to reciprocate.

She smiled at him during a break in their intimacy, "I think I had gotten so used to you being around all the time during the short time you were out of work that I didn't take the time to appreciate it."

"I'm sorry I haven't been home as much," he told her, "Since we've moved here."

"You've been home enough," Esme told him, "But I liked having you all to myself, as selfish as that is."

"It's not selfish," Carlisle assured her, still smiling. He kissed her nose, then her lips making her grin again. "We should spend a little time each day to take advantage of how spacious this house is."

She smiled, "A little time each day sounds like a good plan."

"I'll be working nights starting next week."

Esme continued smiling and ran her hands up the back of his shirt, "And what does that mean for our _plan_?"

"Well, the kids will be at school from..."

"Seven-thirty until two-thirty," she told him.

Carlisle smiled and ducked his head so his lips hit her neck. He then proceeded to whisper in her ear, "My night shift will be from midnight until eight in the morning," he said, "Perfect timing. I'll miss them going off to school, but I'll be able to be here for when they get home."

"Mmm-hmm..." Esme managed to shuffle his shirt up until he only had to quickly pull out his head and arms.

"And I'll get to spend the rest of the day with you," he told her with a cute, childish smile.

She laughed at the adorable look on his face and leaned up, pulling him to her by the back of his head. "I think that sounds like the perfect day."

Carlisle closed his eyes and kissed her, then pulled back, taking her in his arms as he stood up. Before Esme could ask what he was doing, Carlisle was placing her in the middle of their bed.

He remained on all fours hovering above her and they both listened for a moment as Caleb laughed wildly from downstairs. They could hear lots of splashing and the laughter a few others. They then looked at each other and shared a smile.

"He's fine," Carlisle said, finally feeling content with his son's demeanor for the first time since he'd arrived home from work.

Esme nodded in agreement, then leaned over and clicked the light off next to the bed.


	32. Day Two

**Chapter 32**

Caleb glanced up toward the sky as he exited Cambridge Hall upon the completion of his last class of the day. He could see that the clouds were prominent, though the sun loomed just behind them. The day was just about concluded and he knew that he and the rest of them would only have to manage another ten minutes or so, and then they would be in the clear. On top of it, darkness typically crept in around five o'clock, so the threat of the sun was ultimately limited.

"Hey," Delilah caught up to Caleb, upon catching his scent as he'd begun to cross through the parking lot.

Caleb spun to face her, "How's it going?" he asked.

She shrugged, "It's new..."

He nodded, "Yeah, same here."

"So, where'd you guys move here from again?"

"Washington state."

"What brings you to Minnesota?"

Caleb smiled, finally finding humor in the fact that he knew more than she realized. "Um, well my uncle just got a job at the hospital in town. It was a good job, so we decided to get a fresh start."

Delilah eyed him up and down, knowing from Aro that Dr. Cullen was actually his father, not his uncle. Like him, she found humor in the fact that she _thought_ she knew something that he didn't. "That's cool. You said your uncle. Is he... like us?" she looked over her shoulder to make sure no one could hear their conversation.

"Yeah."

"And your sister, the one from class-"

"She's not my sister," Caleb said, correcting her, "She's my cousin."

"Oh," Delilah said simply. She looked him in the eye, "Was it hard for you to adjust to being around humans?"

He laughed, also looking around as they kept walking toward Alex's car. "I'm not quite like you in that sense. Human blood does nothing for me."

Her eyebrows pressed together as she was truthfully interested. "How is that possible? I don't see myself as a danger to these people, but if there was another option to have human blood over animal blood that didn't involve hurting people I would take it in a heartbeat."

Caleb shook his head, "I'm not like you," he repeated, "Not exactly anyway. I was born. I wasn't bitten like I'm guessing you were."

"Why does that make a difference?" she asked him.

"Evolution I guess," he said with a shrug, "My parents haven't had human blood in decades. Actually, my father hasn't ever killed a human for food."

"Where are your parents?" she asked.

"They're at home."

"I thought you lived with your uncle?" she asked with a smirk.

Caleb couldn't hide back a dissatisfied look from his face. He cursed in his mind from his first slip-up, until Delilah began to laugh.

"It's okay," she said, "I get it. You have to lie when you're around humans. My parents gave me this whole back story too."

"Your parents?" he asked.

"Well, I consider them my parents," she said, "They took me in when I was a newborn. I don't know who actually bit me." She decided to play the sensitive card, though the memory she was about to tell Caleb did actually pain her. "I had a rough couple of months. I killed people."

He looked into her eyes, sensing a bit of shame. "It's alright," he told her, "I mean, I never had to experience the whole human thing. I do know how irresistible animals are to me. I almost killed a puppy once, if that makes you feel any better."

Delilah began to laugh loudly, drawing a few looks in their direction. Caleb smiled and looked around, then back to the sky once more. "What made you want to spare humans?" he asked her.

She stopped for a moment and her eyes widened for a brief second as visions of Aro, Jane and Caius flashed through her mind. "I, um..." she shrugged and shook her head, "I just didn't want to be responsible for killing people... ya know?"

Caleb nodded without breaking eye contact, "I understand. I know it's something most of my family members have struggled with."

Delilah nodded in agreement and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "So were all of you born?" she asked, "Well, those of you that go to school here."

He shook his head, "Everyone but Michael."

"Who's Michael?" she asked, pretending not to know.

"My sister's husband... well boyfriend for high school purposes."

"Gotcha," Delilah said with a smirk.

"Why do you want to attend high school?" Caleb asked, "If you were a human and already experienced it why come back? You have to be about, what, seventeen?"

"Eighteen," she said, "Well, when I was changed that's how old I was. I didn't get a great education the first time around. I was an orphan and bounced around from school to school. No one really cared about me all that much when I was a human."

"I'm sorry," he told her.

Delilah shrugged, "It's fine." She sighed.

Caleb's eyes met hers for a moment, then his gaze switched to where he saw the rest of his family members heading in their direction.

"I guess I should get back to my dorm," she told him.

"You live on campus?"

She nodded, "I actually only had a roommate for the first few days before school started. She's gone now."

"Gone?" Caleb asked, wondering if she had anything to do with the girl's disappearance.

Delilah laughed, knowing what he must have been thinking. "No, I didn't eat her." She continued to giggle, "She decided she hated it and left."

"Oh..." he said, looking again to where Michael was giving him a wave. Caleb nodded in his direction.

Delilah smiled at Caleb, "Well, your family's here and I'm guessing you're heading home then."

"Yeah."

"Well, it gets a little lonely on campus, so if you're ever bored you should come back after school some time or something." She shrugged, "If your parents let you."

"I'm sure they'll be fine with it," he said, "It's not like I have a bed time."

Delilah chuckled again. "Alright, well, I'm going to head to the library for a bit before I go back, so I'll see you tomorrow in English class?"

Caleb nodded, "Yeah. I'll see you then."

"Okay, bye," she said with a cute shrug and a wave.

"Bye." Caleb watched her go until Alex and Michael were practically on top of him with the rest of them just behind.

Nicole made kissing noises and laughed, "How's your girlfriend doing?"

He rolled his eyes and looked across the small green courtyard, seeing Delilah turn her head slightly following Nicole's comment.

"Got any dirt yet?" William whispered, prompting Maddy to hit him hard in the chest with the back of her hand. "Ow!" he said.

"No," Caleb replied simply. He opened the door to his sister's car and tossed in his backpack.

"Hey, I'll see you tomorrow Nicole," a boy said as he passed by where their group gathered around the two cars.

"See ya," she said in a perky, flirtatious tone.

"Well, I see _somebody_ isn't having trouble making friends," Alex teased, leaning into Michael who kissed her temple.

"How's your _boyfriend_," Caleb shot back to her upon her teasing words to him earlier.

Nicole waved a hand at him, "Let's ditch this joint," she said with a little giggle. Before they could all pile into the cars, another boy ran passed them at rapid speed, handing off a flyer to Mackenzie as he sprinted through the parking lot.

"That's not safe," Caleb pointed out, seeing more than one car dodge the boy as he continued to weave, placing the same piece of paper in the hands of whoever crossed his path.

"What is it?" Nicole asked, looking down into Mackenzie's hands.

She un-crumpled the paper and read it aloud. "Dorm Party, Friday March 11. Harding Hall Rooms 167-170. Time: Nine-thirty until whenever. "Refreshments" provided, but BYOB."

"Bring your old blood?" William joked, making Michael and Caleb both laugh.

Maddy shook her head, but smiled and Mackenzie rolled her eyes.

"You're sooo funny Will," she said to her brother.

"Yes I know," he said back, still grinning.

"Get your girlfriend to come," Nicole teased Caleb again.

He rolled his eyes, "You think our parents are going to let us go to some dorm party? Sex, drugs and rock and roll isn't really their motto..."

Alex and Michael both laughed at the comment, causing the rest of them to do the same.

"It'll be part of the "mission"," Nicole told them.

"I like how you're thinking," William said, high-fiving her.

"Yeah, let's just get into a bunch of trouble our first weekend at this school," Caleb said. "That would be great. Then we'll never get to come back here. I'll be stuck inside forever. And not just forever; eternity."

"We're faster than the teachers, don't forget," William told him, "If things get rowdy, we bail."

Caleb looked at Alex and they both shrugged to each other. "What's the worst that could happen if we're all together?" she said.


	33. Friday Night

**Chapter 33**

"Would it be alright if all of us went down to the library tonight at school?" Caleb asked, sitting across from Carlisle and Esme on the couch. Rosalie sat curled up scanning through the stations. She glanced over briefly at them.

"Mackenzie asked me if she could go too," Rosalie told them.

"Just come right back when it closes," Esme said to him. She glanced at the clock. "What time is it open until? It's eight thirty already."

Caleb shrugged, "I think around eleven."

"Eleven?" Carlisle asked, "I'm surprised they want kids walking around that late at night; high school aged kids anyway."

"Well, there's tons of security on campus."

He nodded, "Are you meeting other people there?" Esme knew from the way he said 'other people' that he specifically meant Delilah.

"Um," Caleb hesitated, "Probably."

"Delilah?" Esme asked, squashing what was becoming the elephant in the room.

"Yeah, and some other people," he told them, "I mean, I think she's buying everything. I don't particularly enjoy lying, but I've been working up all week to ask her about Aro, or the Volturi in general to see what kind of a reaction she gives."

"If you ever feel like you're getting in over your head, tell us," Carlisle said, "And if you don't feel comfortable telling me or Mom then talk to your brothers and sisters too."

"I know," Caleb nodded, "I will. It's not a problem."

Esme looked at him, taking in how grown up he looked. He wasn't to his top level of maturity, though he certainly blended in with the other sixteen year olds in the area. Throughout the last several months he'd hit some type of growth spurt that pushed him up what appeared like a couple of years, in human measurements.

"Please be careful," she told him. "Is Mackenzie going Rose?"

Rosalie looked at Caleb for a moment, then nodded, "I said she could go as long as she wasn't alone."

"Mom," William said, entering the room, "Maddy and I are going to go with them." He slung a book bag over his shoulder and patted it.

"We are too," Alex said, entering the room with Michael.

Carlisle looked around at all of them, "And what time does the library close again?" he asked.

Their eyes all went to Caleb, who almost stuttered. "Eleven I think. I'll double check when we get there and text you."

"Call me," he said, "I'd rather a call than a text."

Caleb didn't make a face, though he wanted to. "Okay. I'll call you."

"Should we walk or drive?" William asked, looking around.

"Drive," Rosalie told them before anyone else could answer, "Here, take my car." She reached in her pocket and tossed her son the keys she failed to hang on the key ring earlier.

William looked down toward his hand, then smiled at his mother, "You want us to take your car?"

She nodded, "If you're just going to the library and back I don't really have much to worry about."

"Right," he said, "Okay. Well, we'll bring it back in once piece around midnight."

"Midnight?" Esme asked.

"It shouldn't take you an hour to get home from the school's library," Carlisle added.

"Okay, eleven-thirty... ish," Alex said, looking at William for a moment.

"Eleven-thirty..." Esme said firmly.

"Okay," they all said in unison, like a guilty teenage choir.

"Actually," Rosalie said, "Give me the keys back. Take your father's car. It'll fit all of you."

William nodded and tossed the keys back, "Thanks Mom. We'll see you in a couple hours."

Alex bid a farewell to her parents, as did Caleb. Mackenzie made her way into the room, saying a quick goodbye to Rosalie before she joined them.

Carlisle looked at Rosalie, "Where's Edward?"

"The five of them are out together," she explained, shaking her head, "Emmett, Edward, Bella, Jasper and Alice."

"Hunting?"

She nodded, "How much do you want to bet we'll get a phone call from Alice before the night's over."

"Why do you say that?" Esme asked.

"Is it me, or did all of them look nervous and guilty?"

"What do you think they're up to?" Carlisle asked.

"I'm not sure, but I bet it's not the library they're hitting on a Friday night."

Carlisle and Esme exchanged a glance.

"I purpose left a couple bottles of wine out... human wine. I wanted to see if William would take it."

Esme looked overly intrigued and Carlisle began to look anxious.

"Shall we go have a look to see if it's vacationing in my son's back pack right now?"

...

"You took the wine?" Maddy asked, as she fiddled through his bag. She began to shake her head and held the bottle out in front of her.

"Yeah," he said with a shrug, "It's a party right?"

"Oh, you are so... stupid.. sometimes..." The sentence left her mouth slowly, as she didn't want to insult him.

"Why?" he asked.

"Gosh, how do I know your mother better than you do?" Maddy asked him, putting a hand on her head.

"Because boys are stupid," Nicole whispered, having joined up with them in the car. "We're bound to get caught once my mom gets back anyway, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun." Her eyes met Caleb's, "And if we get any kind of useful information about the Volturi, maybe they'll ease up on our punishments."

"Wait," Caleb said, "You're saying we're going to get caught regardless?"

"My mom can see the future," she said, "This isn't exactly news to you."

"Great," he said, "I thought you somehow covered that, blocked." He whipped his head around to face his sister, "Alex, can't you block them from seeing us since they don't need to or whatever?"

Alex shook her head, "Already tried that. It doesn't work."

Caleb sighed, "Let's just go home. Mom and Dad won't let me come back-"

"They'll let you come back to school, Caleb," Alex said, rolling her eyes.

"Not if they don't trust me. Dad's already asking me a hundred questions about Delilah and it's the first week. He doesn't trust me."

"Not for nothing," she said, "But I don't think lying about the library holds a candle to Michael and I running away to Italy and lying to them about it. You're fine. Masen and I have you beat. Trust me."

"What did Masen do?"

"Hellooo," she said, tapping him in the forehead, "Do you think Cassandra was a planned pregnancy? That was a crisis that happened before they were married."

William snickered and nudged Madison. He took her hand and they began heading toward the dormitories. Everyone followed close behind and headed up toward Harding Hall."

"Does she live in Harding?" Michael asked Caleb, sensing he was still slightly unhappy.

"Delilah? No. She lives in the one next to it." He pointed toward where she lived.

He nodded, "If you want to go back home I'll go with you."

Caleb looked at his brother-in-law and was tempted to take him up on the offer. Alex turned to them and gave Michael a closed-mouth smile, one which he returned. As much as Caleb wanted to say 'yes', he didn't want to feel like the young member of the group who was slightly excluded from the activity of the "older kids". "I'll be alright, Michael. Thanks though."

"Well, let me know if you change your mind," Michael said with a nod, "I don't mind at all."

Caleb nodded, glad to have a back up plan and someone on his side. His phone's ringtone went off signaling a text message. He read it to himself. _Hey. I can see you from my window. Sensed you were on campus. Are you going to that party?_

Caleb looked up, trying to pinpoint what window may have been Delilah's room for a moment before he responded, letting her know they were going. She quickly responded back with a simple, _Mind if I tag along?_

_Sure_, he wrote back, then slid the phone back in his pocket.

Michael kept glancing over him, sensing he was off but didn't push the issue any farther. When they reached the second level of the dorm where the in-house party was taking place, it was unusually quite in the hallway. The second the door swung open, however, there was no question that a rather large get-together was going on inside.

Music played at a moderate level and a few kids danced, though everyone else mainly sat around in small groups talking, laughing, playing cards and drinking. When their rather large group walked into the first room, everyone took turns scoping them out.

Nicole lead the group with a big smile, giving a friendly 'hello' to all the party-goers. A few kids from her classes greeted her more normally, with smiles and a quick exchange while others continued to marvel over their presence.

Caleb gave quiet hello's to whoever was nearby and staring. It only took a few minutes for the party to resume at it's original pace and everyone went back to doing what they were prior to their arrival. The guest of the house seemed entranced by the girls and he stuttered in asking for a few dollars if they intended to drink from the supply of beer he'd purchased.

"You know, if you want, it's okay if you don't, but if you feel like it at some point..." he had struggled to find the right words before the final verdict was, "Drink whatever you want in here. It's up for grabs. Eat whatever you'd like to. It's on the house."

Nicole and Alex looked at each other and Nicole whispered, "Got any deer blood?"

"Mountain lion?" Alex whispered back.

The two of them laughed.

"What if we really said that?" Nicole asked with a laugh.

Michael smiled and shook his head at their silliness. "Let's play some cards," he suggested, spotting half of the kitchen table open with just about enough chairs for them to sit around.

Caleb eagerly agreed and followed him and his sister. Their group sat down around the table and almost immediately got a game going. William lifted the wine bottles so they sat on the table and offered it up to the kids on the other side, considering it was traditional human wine and not their vampire-blood blend.

When Delilah entered, Caleb turned around partway, catching her walking in their direction from his peripheral vision. Her light brown hair that was typically pulled back in a ponytail hung perfectly pin straight around her face and he could see that she wore a red dress.

"The devil is a lady in red," William whispered, joking around.

Caleb shot him a look, then turned as she approached him, causing a few extra stares in their direction.

"Hey Caleb," she said, then looked around the table and decided to acknowledge Alex second, "Hey Alex."

"Hi Delilah," she said, slightly aggravated at how the girl so easily tried to play her brother. Her actions reminded Alex of Peter and it angered her to the core. She was just grateful that her brother was ten steps ahead of the game.

"How are you?"

"Fine," Alex said, looking at her brother, "I didn't know you were coming."

"Yeah," Delilah said, "I just got chatting with Caleb and decided I would come too since all of you did."

Alexandra nodded and looked at Michael, who invited her to join them in their game.

Delilah pulled up a chair next to Caleb and accepted a hand of cards. Alexandra kept an eye on her flirty behavior and decided to make her extremely nervous, assuming she knew a thing or two about Edward's mind reading ability.

"Michael," she said, winking so no one could see her but him.

He smiled and cocked his head to the side for a moment, "Yeah?" he looked confused but decided he would know to go along with whatever she was about to say.

"Edward's about to come by to check out the place. Will we have room for one more player? I know he'll probably know all of our cards because... well, you know..."

Delilah began to cough, completely thrown off guard from the mention of his name.

Alex looked at her, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said, "Yes. I... I think I should probably get something to... eat."

Everyone turned to face Delilah. Caleb looked at his sister and his eyes squinted slightly.

Michael texted Alex and she pretended it was from Edward. "Oh, darn," she said, "Never mind, he's not coming. He's going out with Bella instead."

Delilah's body relaxed slightly and Alex smiled at Michael again. He tapped his foot against hers beneath the table and they shared a look. Caleb knew what they were up to and saw how uncomfortable Delilah was. He knew he had to keep her mind easy-going in order to get the information he wanted. What he needed to speak to her about was Aro. He wanted to ultimately get to the bottom of exactly why he sent her to spy on them.

"I'll take you hunting if you want," he offered, drawing looks from the rest of them.

"You will?" she asked, touching her throat gently.

Caleb nodded, "Sure." He stood up from where he sat as she did. A few of them were smiling, though Alex, Michael and Mackenzie looked more worried. "We'll be back before the party ends."

"Mom wants us home at eleven-thirty. No later," Alex said, "Don't forget."

"I'll back way before then," he assured her.

"I wouldn't keep him past his curfew," Delilah said sweetly.

Alex couldn't help but give her a dirty look as the two of them headed toward the door.

Caleb looked over his shoulder once at them before allowing her out into the hallway ahead of him.

Delilah sighed and stared at him for a moment, then glanced both ways down the empty hallway. "I don't want to... get in trouble," she told him, "I feel like sooner or later that party is going to get broken up."

"So I'll take you hunting and then walk you back to your dorm," Caleb told her.

She nodded, "You can stay with you family."

"No I'd rather make sure you got home safely."

Delilah swallowed hard once, never coming across someone so gentlemanlike in his ways. She then reminded herself that she was a vampire, so her safety was hardly a concern. "I am immortal, don't forget."

Caleb smiled at her, "You can never be too careful."

She nodded and looked at him, "Yeah."

"Shall we hunt?" he asked her, holding out his arm for her to take on their walk out of the building.

Delilah laughed lightly, "Alright." She tucked her arm through his and they headed out into the night to hunt some prey in the surrounding wooded area. While it would have been hard to sneak back into the dorm with blood on their clothing, she had purposely left her window unlocked so they could scale the building. Luckily, the window faced the wooded area and her room was only on the second level.

"What are you doing?" Caleb whispered, as they made their way toward the back of the brick building.

Delilah pointed toward the window and put a finger to her lips, as if to say "shhh" before she slid the window open quietly and slumped inside. Caleb took in a breath through his nose and looked around the darkness before reluctantly following her inside. He looked around and thankfully spotted a small bathroom.

She flipped the light switch on and he headed for the sink to wash his hands and face. The black shirt he wore provided enough camouflage to hide the small streaks of blood on his shirt. He still cleaned it up as best he could, then walked back out to where Delilah stood.

"Here," she said, handing him an oversized sweatshirt, "I used to wear super baggy clothes back in the day and that's an old sweatshirt that I like. Put it on. It's a boy's sweatshirt."

Caleb was about to decline but decided it would be better to change his shirt. She politely turned away as he changed, though he wasn't particularly self-conscious about going shirtless.

"Thanks," he told her, once he was changed.

"Here," she said, "I'll keep yours and wash it. I have to do a load of laundry in the morning anyway." She motioned to the full laundry basket at the foot her bed.

Caleb's eyes roamed the room, noticing the empty, blanket-less twin bed across the room. "Why don't you just push them together to have one big bed?" he asked, "Since your roommate ditched out and all?"

Delilah nodded and looked him in the eye, "Maybe I will."

The two of them stood a few feet apart for a moment staring at one another. Caleb felt like his chest was throbbing. He was hoping she would speak first, but she never did and it made the moment seem all the more longer. Delilah stood directly in his path to the door. While the window behind him was a valid option, he knew he would look incredibly odd if he ran screaming from her room out the window.

Caleb remembered Alex's words from the other day and replayed them in his mind, almost angrily. _What's the worst that could happen if we're all together?_ He felt like shaking his head.

_Yeah, if we're all together_, he thought, _what about when I'm alone with Delilah in her room? What then?_


	34. The Long Walk Home

**Chapter 34**

Caleb finally cleared his throat and looked around, "Well, thanks for the shirt. I'll return it to you on Monday in school."

"Okay," Delilah said with a nod, spinning around toward the door. She crossed the room and swung it open, leaving Caleb feeling overly relieved.

He took a deep breath, trying not to seem outwardly freaked out and passed her by with a closed-mouth smile.

"Thanks for volunteering to come with me," she told him.

"You're welcome," he said with a nod, glancing back into the room that he now noticed was decorated with pictures of Delilah with old friends. He wanted to check them out, or ask about her human past, but decided he had gotten out of the shark tank and didn't want to press his luck by taking a step back inside.

"I guess I'll see you on Monday," Delilah said with a shrug.

Caleb nodded and nearly froze as she leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

"Thanks Caleb."

"You're welcome," he repeated.

Delilah kept eye contact with him for a moment before he finally said, "Goodnight," and began making his way down the long corridor. She ducked back into her room, but stopped and glanced back out, taking in the sight of him until he finally rounded down another hallway.

She stood silently with the door open for a moment and looked into the dark empty room she would be in alone for the next twelve hours. She wished her roommate hadn't bailed so there would at least be _some_ company. On the other hand, it did give her the privacy to do as she pleased and with that, she decided to give Jane a call to give her whatever updates she could.

...

Caleb wandered slowly away from campus with his hands in his pockets. He shifted the sleeve on the sweatshirt to read his watch, noting that it was after midnight. The Jeep was gone from its original parking space, but he quickly realized that Alex and Michael weren't. Only a second or two upon sensing they were nearby, they more or less popped out of the bushes.

"Where have you been?" Alex asked him in an angry tone.

"Hunting," he said, brushing past her.

"Caleb!" she said, "Do you know what time it is? And do you know how worried everyone is?"

"You know where I was Alex. I didn't lie to _you_. Besides, because of all of you I'm in trouble anyway."

"Because of _us_?" she asked.

"Yeah!" he said firmly.

"Michael said he would have gone back home with you," she reminded him, "But you decided to come along anyway."

"Whatever..."

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"Alex," Michael whispered, trying to get her to ease up.

"Leave me alone," Caleb said, walking slightly ahead of them.

"Mom is freaking out. She's been calling and texting me for the last forty-five minutes," Alex told him, "What happened to eleven-thirty?"

Caleb glanced down at his own phone and realized his father had called several times. There were also several text messages from both Alex and Michael, and three from Esme asking where he was. "I'm obviously a little late," he told her.

"I don't like you being alone with her."

He laughed spitefully, "I think I'm fine, Alex. Worry about yourself."

"Why are you being like this?" she asked.

"Being like _what_?" Caleb whipped around.

"All angry and snippy."

"Well, you didn't exactly approach me in a pleasant tone," he told her.

"No one knew where you were," Alex told him.

"Yes you did," he said, making a face, "And I don't need to be lectured by you when I'm sure I'll hear plenty of it when we get home." Caleb paced ahead of them again and marched angrily towards the woods for a few minutes before taking off full speed once he was under the cover of the trees.

When he crossed onto their property and headed up the long driveway, Esme met him outside before the house was even in view.

"Mom," he said, shaking his head..

Esme hugged him, which seemed to take him off guard as he prepared to get reprimanded. "Why weren't you answering your phone?" she asked, "Dad called you a handful of times. I didn't know where you were until I just got the last text message from Alex."

"I told Alex where I was going," he told her, "I... I'm sorry I didn't answer. I honestly didn't hear the phone go off. Delilah said she needed to hunt so I volunteered to go with her, that's all."

"You didn't go to the library I heard," she said calmly.

Alex and Michael emerged from the darkness and Esme motioned for them to head toward the house, as she wanted to continue speaking one-on-one with Caleb for a moment.

Caleb's eyes met Alex's before he returned his attention to their mother. "No. We didn't," he admitted.

"Why did you feel like you had to lie to us?" she asked him.

He looked down for a moment, feeling bad for lying and then shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't think you'd want us to go."

"Caleb," Esme said, "I hope we're not putting too much pressure on you with this whole Delilah thing. I know you're capable of doing this, but if I had to be honest for a second I'd rather see you not. It would make your father and I feel better."

Caleb shook his head, "I'm not having a problem with Delilah," he said, looking down at the sweatshirt that smelled of her. "I'm not really having a problem with anything, I just..." His voiced drifted off and he looked around.

"What?" Esme urged.

He sighed, "I don't know. I'm just sick of feeling like the "little kid" all the time; especially around Mackenzie because I'm older than her. She just looks a little older than me."

"Don't worry about that," she told him, "Just be yourself. You don't have to prove anything. I thought you and Mackenzie were getting along well."

"We are," Caleb told her with a shrug, "It's not her so much, and it's not any of them really. It's just how I feel I guess. It's my own problem."

Esme took in the slumped posture of his shoulders and could see he was being honest. She looked at him with a slightly more serious expression. "What's wrong, Caleb? Is something else bothering you?"

"No." He shook his head, still looking away, then finally glanced back at her.

She didn't want to push the issue, but she wasn't used to seeing him so down and moody. It was out of character for him. "Are you upset because you think you're going to get in trouble?"

Caleb shrugged, "I assumed I would since I stepped out of the house."

"So, why did you lie then?" she asked him, trying not to beat a dead horse.

"I don't know," he said quietly, glancing down at the shirt Delilah had given him.

The two of them stood in silence for a minute before Esme finally made the call to head back to the house. "Let's go inside. We'll talk a little more."

"Is Dad mad?"

Esme shrugged, "He's just a little disappointed, but he'll be alright." She thought for a moment of if he should be punished, though the sight of his own shame and the slight angst that crossed through his expression she thought may have been enough to convince her to go easy on him.

"Can I just go up to my room for a few hours?" Caleb asked her, "I'm not trying to get out of a punishment or anything. I just don't feel like being around everyone when we get inside. I'll talk to Dad before he goes to work and I won't put up a fight with either of you. I just need a few minutes."

Esme could see that he was being honest and looked into his puppydog-like eyes. She nodded to him quietly.

"Thanks," he said, giving her a hug.

She hugged him back, wondering if she was being too soft, but ultimately thought her call was the right one. "Climb in through our balcony," Esme told him, "Dad left it open from earlier. You can cut through our room into yours without having to pass everyone downstairs."

Caleb looked at his mom and nodded, "Thanks," he repeated.

Esme nodded to him and headed toward the front while Caleb scooted around back toward the oversized, elegant patio and scurried up the side of the house into his parents room before returning quietly to his own.

Carlisle greeted Esme at the door as she entered. "Caleb's upstairs," he said, "Did you see him out there? I just heard him come in."

She nodded, "I told him to go in through the balcony in our room so he could head straight to his room."

He looked at her with wondering eyes as he hoped she would elaborate on what had happened.

"It's fine," Esme quickly assured him, then waved him along with her to a more private area of the house so they could talk.

"Did something happen?" he asked, once they stood closely together in his oversized office.

"No," she told him, "Not really. He admitted they lied about where they were going. I think he feels... inadequate, like he's not taken seriously by everyone else."

"Why?" Carlisle asked.

"Well, it took him longer to age and he's kind of like the "baby" of the family. He... I don't know," Esme shook her head, "I told him to just go up to his room because he looked so... sad. It's not like him."

"Is it because he was thinking he'd get in trouble with us?"

She shook her head again, "I don't think so. He asked me if he could go up to his room to be by himself for a little while and said he wouldn't fight whatever punishment we decided on. He said he would come talk to you before you left for work in the morning."

Carlisle eyed one of the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on the wall as he thought. "Do you think the whole Delilah ordeal is beginning to weigh on him?"

"I told him that you and I would rather not have him doing it," Esme said.

"You did? What did he say?"

"He insisted that it wasn't that, that it was more of the fact that he didn't feel up to par with the rest of the kids."

"So, is he trying to prove something by doing what he's doing?" Carlisle asked, "And did he explain why he was missing for forty-five minutes?"

"I told him the same thing, that he doesn't have to prove anything to anyone," Esme said, "And he told me that he went hunting with Delilah. That's why he didn't answer his phone. Alex did tell me on the phone that Delilah had the sudden urge to hunt at the mention of Edward's name and Caleb offered to go with her. He just came back a little later than he said he would."

Carlisle took in a breath through his nose and looked at Esme in the eye. "Do you think he has feelings for her?"

She looked back at him with an expression just as serious. Her silence indicated that she wasn't entirely sure. He hadn't brought it up, or even hinted at the fact, though now that Carlisle asked her flat out, she felt like she couldn't rule out the possibility. "I don't know."

The look on Carlisle's face would have been blank, or neutral to just about anyone, but Esme could tell there was a lot going on beneath the surface of what he was showing. She knew that his mind had just jumped ahead ten steps and he was most likely thinking of some of the worst-case scenarios.

"I think I should talk with him."

"Give him a little space," Esme said, "For an hour or so. I think he needs it and he'll be more open to talk then."

Carlisle nodded and took her hand in his.

"He'll be okay," she told him, placing her other hand on top of the one he'd linked with hers.

"Should I ask him?" he asked, looking for her whole-hearted opinion on the matter.

"If he has feelings for her?" Esme whispered.

Carlisle nodded.

"Try to get him to open up to you first," she suggested, "I've been having good talks with him. He listens."

"Alright," he agreed with a nod.

"But if you feel that it's right to flat out ask, then..." Esme shrugged.

Carlisle sighed and looked around again. Esme pulled him in for a hug and kissed him on the cheek, feeling his arms slide around her.

"I'm going to go deal with Alex," Esme whispered, "She's older. She knows better."

Carlisle nodded, not letting go of her right away, then pulled back and they shared a kiss on the lips.

"I love you," Esme whispered to him, kissing him once more.

"I love you, too," he said.

She smiled at him and reluctantly released his hand, knowing she had to seek out their daughter.

Carlisle stayed in the room and sat down in the chair by his desk. He sighed quietly to himself and hoped that his son hadn't yet fallen victim to his heart.


	35. Free Pass

**Chapter 35**

After an hour or so in his room, Caleb felt better and took a deep breath before returning to the rest of the family. Despite their white lie about the library, no one was in serious trouble, but the topic seemed to come up every little bit in the form of a miniature lecture from someone's parents.

Alex was walking down the hallway upstairs when Caleb exited his room and he stopped her. "Hey," he said, "Alex, I'm sorry for being a pain. I didn't mean to get all temperamental."

"Wow, big word, you must be learning from this fancy school we're enrolled in," she teased with a smile.

He laughed and looked at her again. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she shrugged, "I'm sorry for getting you in trouble."

"You didn't," he assured her.

"Hey, I heard you talking to Mom a little," Alex admitted, "And I just want you to know that nobody sees you as "the little guy". I mean, you'll always be my little brother in a sense, but you're on the same level as the rest of us as far as I'm concerned."

Caleb nodded, "I know. You guys don't make me feel like, it's me. I've been getting in my own head a little, but I feel better now. I just needed a second to chill out."

"It happens," she said with a smile, then shrugged. "And I'm only on your case because... well you've heard about what happened before I was with Michael, right?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I know."

"I don't want you to get hurt, that's all, because it doesn't feel good... at all. Peter totally had me fooled and I thought I really liked him. I don't want to see that happen to you with this girl."

"Thanks Alex," he said.

She smiled and stepped in to give him a hug.

Caleb smiled at her, then looked around. "Where's Dad?"

"Watching TV in his room."

"Mom too?"

Alex shook her head, "No, I don't think so. She was down in the living room with Rosalie, Alice and Bella."

"Okay," he said, looking in the direction of their parents' room. "I'm going to go talk to him."

She nodded and patted him on the back as she began to walk the other way.

Caleb slowly ducked into the room where Carlisle sat on the foot end of the bed flipping through stations. His eyes raised to meet his son's as he entered.

"Hey," Caleb said with a nod.

"Hey." Carlisle gave him a half-smile and put the remote down.

"I, uh, just want to say I'm sorry," he told him, "For lying."

He stood up from where he sat, "I know you and Mom already talked, so I'm not going to get into asking why. From here on out, you have to just be up front with us about everything."

Caleb nodded.

"Mom has praised you for your honesty and how you don't hide things from her," Carlisle went on, "I think that's something you should continue to live up to."

"Okay," he agreed, "I... I don't know. I'm sorry."

"It's alright." The two of them stood in silence for a few seconds before Carlisle decided to try approaching his other question. "As far as Delilah is concerned-"

"Dad," Caleb shook his head, "That's not the issue at all."

"I just want to make sure you're feeling okay about it. I don't want you to-"

"Feel overwhelmed?"

"Not just that," Carlisle went on, "I just... try not to get too close to her. Sometimes people can get wrapped up in confusing... emotions, I guess, and-"

"Dad, I don't _like_ her," Caleb said with a smile, cutting him off for the third time in their conversation.

"I'm just saying," his father went on, "Just be careful."

He nodded, "You don't have to worry about that. She's the... enemy."

Carlisle didn't want him to quite see her as that either, even though she was "working" for the Volturi. "Be careful, Caleb," he repeated.

"I will," Caleb agreed.

"How are you liking attending school?"

He smiled, "I like it a lot. It's cool being out and about, hanging out with other kids and stuff."

"Good," Carlisle told him, "You guys may have to stay home a day this week because we're suppose to get a warmer, sunny day Tuesday or Wednesday. It's suppose to get up to sixty degrees and be sunny."

"Alright," he said.

"But then there's a snowstorm expected the day after," he told him with a shrug and a quick laugh.

"That's what you get in the north, I suppose," Caleb said.

"Yeah." He nodded, "Do you like it here?"

"It's cool," he told him, "Yeah."

"Better than Forks?" Carlisle asked.

He shrugged, "I don't know. It's different. I mean, I do miss it. I miss Masen and Leah and Cass..."

"Me too," he admitted.

"Do you like it here?" Caleb asked him.

Carlisle nodded slowly, "I do. We've never lived here, but the next state is over is where your Mom and I met. I haven't been out this way in awhile."

"Wisconsin?" he asked.

He nodded and looked around.

"Did you know right away that you loved her?"

Carlisle was caught off-guard by the question and wasn't quite sure how to answer it. "Um..." he thought for a moment, "Well, for some reason when I first met her, I just felt a type of connection that I hadn't felt my entire life. I wouldn't say it was romantic initially, but something about her personality, or her spirit just completely..."

"Captivated you?" Caleb asked, seeing he was looking for the right word.

"Yeah," Carlisle told him, giving him a look at the word choice, then added, "I just had this deep down, gut feeling that just wanted her to be happy. That's the only way I can describe it."

Caleb smiled and shrugged. "So, how did your relationship become romantic?"

He laughed, "Well, you know we didn't meet again for another ten years so I guess it just took time. She made me happier than I had ever been, and I suppose I did the same for her. We made each other better."

Caleb nodded and gave a simple, teenage answer. "Well, that's cool."

Carlisle laughed for a moment, "Why do you ask?"

He shrugged, "Just wondering."

"Alright, well, Mom and I talked while you were in your room and we're going to give you a pass on what happened tonight."

"I'm not in trouble?" Caleb asked.

Carlisle shook his head, "Not exactly, no. But this is it. Don't lie anymore. If something along these lines happens again, you're not going to be so lucky."

He laughed, "Alright. Thanks Dad."

He nodded as Caleb tapped the door frame with his hand and headed out of the room.


	36. Secret Tunnel

**Video clips of the newer characters: Type in the general you tube URL and then copy & paste: watch?v=rIqhSVko8p0**

**(starts off with the original Twilight characters .. I didn't put Masen in there :( Sorry)**

**Chapter 36**

The bell was about to ring in Caleb's first period English class and he glanced up toward the clock.

"Hey," Delilah whispered, looking up toward their teacher as she was scribbling out what the homework would be on the white board.

Caleb's eyes shot in her direction.

"Do you want to hit the library right after school?" she asked, "To study the chapter test on Lord of the Flies in here?"

"Sure," he whispered back with a nod.

Caleb had become more comfortable around Delilah now that another full week had just about passed. It was Thursday morning of the second week of school and things were beginning to feel routine. He was thinking about how to subtly bring up the Volturi without giving himself a way and thought maybe their afternoon study session in the library would be a good icebreaker for such a thing.

"I'll meet you out on the front steps at two-forty-five," he told her.

Delilah smiled, "Great," she whispered.

Mackenzie could hear every word, but wasn't sure if she should invite herself to tag along with them or not. For now, she decided to remain quiet and speak later with Caleb about his thoughts.

The bell sounded off, prompting all the students in class to eagerly stand up.

"Remember there is a quiz on chapters one through four tomorrow," the teacher called above the shuffling, "Prepare tonight. Use the study guide you filled out today."

Mackenzie scooted ahead of Caleb and Delilah, who were the last to leave.

"Have a nice day," Caleb said as he walked, waving to their English teacher on the way out the door.

"Same to you, Caleb." She crossed the room toward her desk and began to jot things down in a plan book.

"So, I guess I'll see you after school," Delilah asked him with a shrug.

He nodded, "Yeah. I'll see you then."

She leaned in and gave him a hug, making it last. A few students passed by, staring at the two of them in their mild embrace before Delilah pulled away.

"See ya," she said.

"See ya," Caleb said back. He began to walk when a boy from their class whom he'd had several other classes with caught up with him.

"Caleb," he called, waving him down.

He turned, "Hey Chris."

"Hey, um, are you going out with Delilah?" he asked.

Caleb laughed, "No. We're just friends."

"I think she has a thing for you."

He shrugged, unable to hold back a smile, "Who knows. I don't think so though."

"She always wants to be your partner in class and it looked like she was hoping you were going to kiss her just now."

Caleb laughed again and shrugged.

"You should ask her to the Spring Fling coming up before someone else does."

"Spring Fling?" he asked.

"Yeah," Chris said, "It was pretty fun last year. Everybody goes."

"When is it?"

"Two weeks, I think."

He nodded, "Maybe I will."

"She's into you," his friend said, urging him on. "And she's pretty hot."

The two of them laughed together and Chris began to part in the other direction, "I have to switch buildings for art, so I'll talk to you later man. Let me know if you ask her."

"Okay," Caleb agreed with a nod, "I'll see ya later." His friend gave a wave and headed out the door.

He wandered into his next class, finding that it, like all of them, seemed to take forever until the final bell of the day finally rang. He had seen versions of school dances on movies, and had heard from the older members of his family what they were like. There were a few stray pictures of Edward and Bella he had seen and a part of him thought it could be a good time.

Mackenzie was the first to meet up with Caleb in the parking lot at their usual spot after school. "Hey, are you staying or coming back with us?" she asked.

"I'm going to stay for an hour or two," he told her, "I'll send a text to my mom, but do you guys mind telling her I stayed after to study?"

She nodded, "I won't mention the word library, because then she might not believe me."

Caleb smiled and Mackenzie laughed lightly.

"Alright, well, I'm going to head over there now. I sent a text to Alex before but she never got back to me on it. If there's a problem you can honestly find me in the library." Caleb looked down at the watch on his wrist that read two-forty.

Mackenzie nodded, "Gotcha. I'll see you at home."

"Alright." He began walking toward the library, noticing a light dusting of snow was beginning to fall. The sidewalk barely covered, but he could see that it was going to be one of those sticking type of snows. Although he couldn't feel it, he'd heard fro just about everyone how cold it was in Minnesota.

Caleb walked through the library doors and his phone went off.

"Turn your phone on silent," a grumpy library hissed from behind a desk.

He raised his eyebrows, "Oh, sorry."

Caleb readjusted the volume on his cell phone and began to text Delilah as he walked. Her second message came through before he could send out his first.

_I see you. Look in the back right corner._

He looked up and saw her shy wave and slid the phone back into his pocket. Like always, others in the general vicinity tended to stare at their interaction. It was something he hadn't quite gotten used to and he wasn't sure if it was because they were both new students, or if it was because they were uniquely different in a way that people picked up on.

Delilah smiled and waved as he approached. Caleb sat down across from her at the table, noticing she already had a spread of their English notes across it.

"So... what do you think will be the importance for the conch shell?" she asked.

"Um..." he smiled and tossed his back pack to the floor by his feet. "I think it represents who has the power, or the speaking power at least for that particular moment."

"Yeah, that's what I would say too." She shuffled through a few papers and looked at him.

"Which character do you think will become the martyr?" Caleb asked, "She asked us to think of that."

Delilah thought for a second. "I'm not quite sure it would be Piggy..." She shrugged, "Simon maybe."

"Why?" He smiled.

Delilah let a smirk run across her face, "Well he's kind. He has morals. He hasn't fed into the violence and tyranny of some of the other boys.

"Hmm..." Caleb smiled at her analysis.

"What?" she asked, "You don't agree?"

"I do, actually."

"Why are you laughing?"

"For the record, I was smiling," Caleb told her, unable to hide his grin.

Delilah shook her head, "Well, I'd like to see you give a better answer."

"I don't think I could, actually. I agree with you."

She smiled and they continued to rummage through their notes until each of them felt comfortable.

"Excuse me!" the same librarian that scolded Caleb earlier called throughout the otherwise quiet library, "The board members of the school have issues a weather alert. You should all return your dorms and stay there once you arrive. If you happen to be a commuter, please begin to pack your things and exit the building."

Caleb looked out the window, seeing streaks of sun peeking through despite the thickening snowfall. He looked at Delilah. "We can't go out yet," he whispered.

She winked, making him smile and feel intrigued. "Come with me," she whispered, collecting her folders and throwing them into her bag.

Caleb smiled and did the same then tossed his own bag over his shoulder.

Delilah towed him by the hand, looking over her shoulder toward the older woman who wasn't paying any attention. She led him down a small flight of stairs that curled and lead to another small flight. At the very end of the second staircase there was a big, steel door that read: Authorized Personnel Only.

"Where are we going?" he asked, whispering, despite they were out of range of the ears of everyone above them. "How do you know about this place?"

Delilah pushed the door open and Caleb flinched as if he was waiting for an alarm to go off. She giggled and walked through the doorway with him just behind her, looking much more cautious.

"I have a lot of time to myself at night," she said as the door closed behind them, "I've explored all over this campus. This tunnel leads underground strait to the pool area."

"How did you find out about this? Aren't there like cameras or some kind of security system?"

Delilah shook her head, "Nope. No cameras. They lock the library doors at night, obviously; but there are security guards that roam the area. They don't actually have an alarm. I know, weird for this day and age right?"

"Yeah," Caleb said with a nod, looking around at the stone underground lair. The thought of his family's description of the Volturi made him think it would be a good opportunity to bring them up without suspicion. "This underground reminds me of a coven my family has talked about. They're kind of like the law setters, I guess."

Delilah tried not to show the panic in her face. She knew exactly who he was talking about. "Law setters?"

"Yeah," he said, trying to read her expression in the darkness. "The Volturi they're called. My dad and some of the others members of my family had to meet with their leader Aro and a few others not all that long ago at their request."

"Why? There must have been a reason, right?" Her voice was strained, as she felt uncomfortable talking about the Volturi in any way, shape or form.

"Um, well, not a _real_ reason. I think Aro just kind of wanted to check in. My dad lived with them for a short time back in the sixteen or seventeen hundreds."

"Sixteen or seventeen..." Her voice drifted off, "Wait, he did? Are they good guys or bad guys?"

"Well my dad respects them for keeping order. They were the first intelligent vampires he'd ever come across." Caleb shifted his eyes to meet Delilah's as they talked. "There were a few times, though, that they almost killed several members of my family; my parents included. It was all before I was born, but my parents are the two greatest people out there. It kind of makes me wonder why they did that."

Delilah tried to hide any emotion on her face, as it mostly lingered with confusion. The information she received from Aro and Jane was far different. "You said they were law setters?" she asked again, "So what law is it that they felt your parents broke?"

"It wasn't just my parents. His own daughter Luciana didn't even agree with him. Sometimes I wonder if she's the only reason why he hasn't been more persistent in pursuing our family. She lived with us for awhile, or right down the street anyway because she didn't want to go back to Italy with him; and she fell in love with a werewolf."

"A werewolf?" Delilah's eyes widened.

Caleb laughed, "Yeah. There were a bunch of them living near us in Washington."

She realized she had never been told of werewolves, though why should she be surprised? "So, this guy Aro... his daughter lived with your family?"

"Yes," he said, "And we'd all still live together if we didn't have to move. The main reason we did was for my dad. We knew he couldn't continue working as a doctor in Forks because we obviously can't be in one place without people recognizing that we stop aging, so as a group we decided together to move out here for him so he could continue doing what he loves."

"Isn't there a lot of blood in hospitals? How can he even stand it?"

"My father has never killed a human being... ever. He hated it when he became a vampire at first. He said he wanted to die so he wouldn't hurt anyone else, then he realized that he could feed on animals in order to satisfy his thirst. When he finally got it all under control, he began to blend in with society like you're doing now. After awhile he was able to become a doctor without really thinking about the blood anymore."

Delilah looked at him with awe-stuck eyes. The story she'd been told about Caleb, his father and the rest of the family had been quite different. She knew Caleb had no reason to lie to her. "Why didn't he just take on a different profession that didn't involve blood on such an every-day level?"

Caleb shrugged, "He wanted to help people."

Her eyes moved back and forth to read his expression and she suddenly had a lump in her throat. Her chest felt heavy and she felt almost claustrophobic.

"Are you alright?" he asked, picking up on her body language.

Delilah nodded, "Yeah."

"What's wrong?" he asked, sensing he'd undoubtedly touched some kind of nerve. He was hoping she would break down and tell him everything, though a part of him sensed that she was truly feeling bad. He held a soft spot for that part of her.

"I, um..." she shook her head and looking around toward some cobwebs that gathered under a pale light on the wall, "I just never had parents, or a family like you have; ever."

Caleb looked her in the eyes and couldn't tell at that moment if she was lying or not.

_If she is, she's a great actress_, he thought, seeing the sadness that continued to linger in her eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it," she told him, "If that's okay."

Caleb nodded, "You don't have to."

Delilah looked at him again with soft eyes and sighed, then continued to walk down the hidden, underground corridor. Something in the darkness created a rhythmic dripping sound and she cleared her throat, managing a smile, "We're almost at the pool," she said, "That dripping sound is my indicator."

Caleb gave her a closed-mouth smile, dying to dig deeper into her life. He decided to hold off, sensing their time together wasn't quite over.

"I don't smell anybody, do you?" she asked, taking a deep inhale through her nose.

He shook his head, "No."

Delilah led the way through a larger, wooden door that seemed to be almost falling apart and Caleb followed her. It led to another single staircase that lead up to a cement platform about ten feet long that led to another steel door. She pushed that one open and the smell of chloride filled their noses. The school's massive pool stood vacant, as did the bleachers surrounding it. Large windows decorated the tops of the walls and revealed the dark gray sky that continued to brew snowflakes in buckets outside.

"I don't think anyone will be coming in here for the rest of the day," Delilah said, "We can hide out here until the sun's down."

"I think the sun's gone," Caleb said, pointing toward the big windows. "It must have been some weird, freak thing. My dad said we're suppose to get a pretty big storm."

She nodded and looked around, "I guess we could go then."

Caleb looked at her and shrugged. He walked toward the pool and dropped his bag by the bleacher on the way before he squatted own and dipped his hand in.

"Cold?" Delilah joked.

He snickered, "Freezing."

She laughed and joined him by the ledge.

Caleb looked over at her and removed his shoes, then rolled his pant legs up to about the knee and sat down, dangling his feet in the water.

Delilah smiled and looked around, then followed his lead. She leaned back on her hands and sighed.

"Are you sure something else isn't bothering you?" Caleb asked her.

"No," she shook her head. Her eyes stared into his. "I'm not going to lie, though, you're one of the only people who I can talk to here."

Like before, Caleb couldn't tell if her words were honest, though they appeared to be.

_Alice did say that she told Aro she didn't have a family_, he thought.

"Nights kind of suck sometimes," Delilah admitted, splashing a little water back and forth with her foot. "I'm running out of places to roam around school property."

He laughed, "Why don't you come hang out with us some time?"

"I don't want to impose," she told him, "I don't think your sister likes me very much."

"She's just overprotective, that's all," he said with a smile. "She got her heartbroken once and she doesn't want the same to happen to me."

Delilah looked into his eyes, almost pained at the words she was about to speak, "She thinks _I'll_ be the one to do that to you?"

Caleb shrugged, "Who knows." He looked over at her anxiety-ridden face and smiled.

She nodded to him slightly and looked down. She suddenly didn't know what to do; who's story to believe. She had been manipulated many times in her life and now she wasn't sure if she was by Aro and Jane or not. All she could tell, was that Caleb was a good, innocent person. He was nicer to her than anyone had been her entire life.

Delilah swallowed hard and looked up into his eyes.

Caleb looked back, "I told her we were just friends, anyway."

"Yeah," she said quietly, nodding as she did.

For several seconds neither of them looked away and Caleb looked down briefly for a moment when he felt her foot graze his.

"Oh, sorry..." Delilah said.

"It's alright," Caleb assured her. He felt a knot begin to develop in the pit of his stomach and sensed she did too from the tense position of her hand against the pool deck tile. The next couple of seconds felt like an outer-body experience almost. Caleb felt like he was being willed to move toward her, as she did the same to him. A moment later, he felt his lips touch hers, gently at first, but after the first touch his hesitation was gone.

Delilah closed her eyes and kissed him back, just as nervous as she could feel he was.

_What are you doing!?_ Caleb asked himself, but couldn't bring himself to stop. Her lips felt too perfect against his own.

Delilah pushed him back and finally turned away.

Right away, he snapped back to reality and began a rattling off a series of stuttered apologies. "I-I don't know why I just did that. I'm sorry. Delilah, I'm... really really just.. I'm sorry."

She stood up and looked at him, not knowing how to feel. This is exactly what she was suppose to do in order to help Aro, but at that moment she couldn't do it. She couldn't lie to Caleb and kiss him. He was too good for what she was doing behind his back.

"Delilah..." he said again, shaking his head.

She took a deep breath. A part of her wanted to smile and kiss him again because it felt so right. Another part of her knew it wasn't fair unless she told him the truth. And what about Aro? Her mind was suddenly a mess and she knew she had to leave before she made a rash decision one way or another.

"I... I have to go Caleb. I'm sorry." Delilah tried to smile at him, but she couldn't. She grabbed her shoes and ran back toward the door for the tunnel.


	37. Before You're In Too Deep

**Chapter 37**

Caleb managed to wander home without being seen by the security guards. The campus was closed, aside from emergencies, and no one was going in or out. He didn't know what to make of his bold move to kiss Delilah. He was weirded out by the fact that he felt somewhat neutral about it. It was his first kiss but for some reason it didn't register in his mind that way. He began to think that maybe his mind hadn't quite caught up yet, or maybe it was just part of the role he was playing in getting so close to her. All in all, he wasn't sure what he felt.

_Why would she be the one to run away?_ he thought, _all everyone has been doing it warning me that she's going to try to make me to fall for her. Wouldn't she be thrilled that she got what she wanted?_

The skies were dark, but night hadn't completely fell upon the town. Caleb trudged his way through the snow and wiped flakes away from his eyes as they continued to fall. He glanced over toward the garage and then made his way into the house.

"Hey honey," Esme said. She was always the first to greet him when he walked through the door.

"Hey," he said with a small smile.

"How was your day?" she asked.

He shrugged, "Not bad. I feel pretty prepared for the test tomorrow."

"If you ever have school," Esme told him, "If this weather keeps up they may cancel it."

Caleb looked past her toward an oversized picture window that hung on the far wall, taking in how heavy the snow looked from where he stood. "Yeah, I didn't even think of that." He sighed, "Is Dad home?"

Esme shook her head, "Not yet. He already told me there were a few car accident victims that came in. He may have to stay a little later."

Caleb nodded, eager to have a one-on-one talk with him. "Alright."

"You can call him," she said, "He may answer." She lifted her phone toward him.

"Oh, it's okay," he said, "It's nothing that can't wait. I just wanted to talk to him about something."

"Anything I can help you with?"

Caleb shrugged, not wanting to say no, but he didn't really want to talk to his mother about girls, or what just happened. "It's just a medical question," he lied, "Something that came up in one of my classes."

Esme kissed him on the forehead, "Okay. Well, go relax then."

He nodded.

"And go see your sister. She's been worried about you." Esme smiled at him and Caleb gave her one back.

"Alright," he agreed.

Esme smiled and watched as he wandered up the staircase toward his room. She wasn't sure what to make of his demeanor, but decided to send Carlisle a text message to let him know that their son wanted to speak with him when he got home.

She headed toward the living room, but quickly realized that no one was there. Esme found herself missing their old house. While it was spacious, it wasn't nearly as oversized as the house they currently lived in, so it gave them plenty of time to gather together as a family. The new place was great in its own way, though she would have easily traded up for something smaller.

Rather than sit alone in the living room, she made her way upstairs toward her room, passing Caleb's on the way. She didn't want to invade his privacy, but upon hearing a quiet phone conversation, she walked a little slower down the hallway.

"Did you get back to your room okay?" he asked quietly. There was brief hesitation before he continued, "Good. You didn't have to call and explain. It's okay."

Esme felt bad but she couldn't help herself. She continued to listen in on his conversation, trying hard to make out the other end of it.

"What are you going to do for the rest of the day?" he asked. "Text me if you get bored then. I'll see you either tomorrow or Monday. See ya later."

Caleb's phone conversation had ended and Esme walked the rest of the way down the hall to her room. The area was relatively quiet and she decided to lay down for a bit. Her eyes traveled out the window and took in the darkness that engulfed the falling snow that hadn't let up. She hoped Carlisle's car would be alright in the blizzard-like conditions and he wouldn't get stuck.

"Hey Mom," Caleb asked, rounding into the room.

Esme's eyes drifted away from the French doors that led onto the balcony. She pulled the curtain over them as night had fallen and twisted the blinds shut over the windows. "Hey Caleb," she smiled. She looked toward the book in his hand, "The Lord of the Flies."

He nodded and smiled, "Yeah. We're reading it for school. It's what I was studying for today."

"Well, that's good. Do you think you're ready for your test?"

"Yeah, it shouldn't be too tough," Caleb told her.

"Good," she said.

"I think we're doing Shakespeare next or something."

"I'm glad you'll get to read a few of the classic books," Esme told him.

"Yeah..."

"What else?" she asked.

Caleb glanced down at a collection of pictures that stood on a decorative piece of furniture in the room. Picture of all of their family members were scattered about, most of them with their significant other in the photo.

"You're right in the middle," Esme pointed out with a smile, gesturing toward the close up he'd taken professionally to add to a family album.

He laughed, "Yeah, I know."

"Is everything alright Caleb?"

Caleb had the urge to tell her what had happened, but he held off. He wanted to get it off his chest that he kissed Delilah and didn't know how he felt about it, but was equally as hesitant. "Yeah, I just... I don't know, do you think I should go the school dance with Delilah? It's kind of a weird situation, ya know? People at school were kind of talking about it."

Esme sighed, "I don't know. To be honest, the more I think about this, the more nervous I get. I don't want you to confuse dating with whatever it is that's going on right now. I think you should hold off on those types of things for someone you care about. Don't go out on dates with this girl just because."

"I know," he told her, replaying the kiss in his mind over and over. He knew that was a step above a date to dance as far as "first-times" were concerned. No matter what came of the situation, Delilah would always be his first kiss. The thought completely freaked him out in a lot of ways. He suddenly had a feeling that his mother would be as equally freaked out about it and so he decided not to say anything just yet.

"Do you think that you and Dad would have been together if you had shared your feelings for him right away?" he asked, "I talked to him a little about this the other day."

Like Carlisle had been, Esme was caught slightly off-guard by the question. "I like to think that love tends to find a way to work out. To be honest, I don't know how to answer that question. We were in two totally different places at that time. I was younger, he was moving around a lot. Above all else, I was human and he wasn't. He never would have changed me if I wasn't so close to... dying."

"You don't think he would have changed you?" Caleb asked.

She shook her head, "I know he wouldn't have. He's said it many times."

"Why?"

"Because he thought it was selfish," Esme told him.

"Would you have been happy if he did even if you weren't dying?"

She sighed and decided to be honest with him. "Yes. It doesn't always happen like this for people, but it was love at first sight for me; or rather love at first conversation," she laughed, "It was really his conversation with me, the fact that he really cared and was interested in what I had to say that really began the deep feelings for him that developed over time."

Caleb nodded, "Okay."

Esme wanted to ask if his question had anything to do with Delilah. She hesitated, but eventually projected her thoughts out loud, "Does this have anything to do with..." She didn't use the girl's name to end the sentence. Her voice just drifted.

"Huh?" He then shook his head, "No, no. I just kind of wanted to know, that's all."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Caleb smiled wide, "I just want to catch up to everything, that's all. I want to know everything."

Esme continued to look at him skeptically and Caleb crossed the room to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Seriously," he said, continuing to smile.

She couldn't help but smile back, "Okay."

He turned around and headed out, letting his smile fade on the way. When he got back to his room he shut the door and tried killing time by watching several episodes of one of the television shows he liked. He then read a few extra chapters in the book he'd been given in English class upon getting bored of the show. He surfed the internet a little on his phone and was considering hooking up the X-box to play a video game, but it didn't sound overly appealing at the moment.

Caleb sighed, feeling almost restless and sat on the edge of his bed staring blankly at the wall. From somewhere in the house he heard Alice and Jasper talking. Whatever he was saying, or doing, was making Alice laugh. Alex and Michael were watching a hockey game together and he could also hear their flirty back and forth bets on who would score the next goal, who would win, and teasingly fought over which goalie was better.

The phone that Caleb had left next to his bed on the nightstand went off, and he lunged for it to read the text message.

_Sorry about today. I know apologized already, but I'm really sorry._

He sighed and left his thumbs over the screen for a moment. He didn't know what to type back. His eyes stared down at the message, reading it over several times. He wrote several different things, then erased them before deciding on something simple.

_It's okay._

Do I call her out on everything? he wondered. Would that blow it for our family? Could that potentially start a huge conflict?

Caleb looked up toward his closed door as he heard his father return from work. His phone went off a second time and he looked down at it.

_I hope you didn't get the wrong impression_, she wrote, _I just got really nervous and overwhelmed and anxious. I haven't been in this position for a long time._

Is she messing with my mind? he wondered, feeling a number of different things at once.

_No, it's alright. I understand. Don't worry about it._

That's how I wish I felt, he thought.

Caleb had second thoughts about speaking with Carlisle about his thoughts on Delilah. He actually wasn't sure what his father would tell him, but he was sure there was at least a part that he wouldn't want to hear. He decided he'd wait it out a little longer before approaching him on the subject, if he did at all.

_I like you Caleb,_ she wrote back. His eyes scanned the screen a number of times. He didn't know what to make of her statement. He suddenly hated being in the middle the way he was because he didn't know if what he was feeling was real; or if what she was saying was real. He felt so messed up in that moment.

_Same here_. He reluctantly sent the message, purposely leaving it vague.

Down the hall he heard his father greeting his mother. Like the others, she began to laugh genuinely at something he said and the two of them made plans to cuddle up and watch a movie.

Everyone's happy and gets to be with someone here except for me, he thought not counting Nicole or Mackenzie into love's equation.

Caleb thought it felt like days before she wrote back, though it had only been about thirty seconds. He stood up, feeling crowded suddenly in his empty room and flung open his door, passing by Emmett who was giving Rosalie a piggy-back ride.

"Hey buddy," he said with a grin, "Where ya going?"

Caleb smiled, "Downstairs. Maybe the pool."

"Nice..." The two of them continued to where ever it was they were going and their interaction only made Caleb feel worse.

"Caleb!" he heard his father's voice call.

Caleb spun around, and he didn't know why but he felt a wave of aggravation pass through him. "Yeah?" he called back.

"Did you want to talk to me about something? Mom sent me a text message earlier and said you did," Carlisle told him.

"Um. Yeah, it was something medical-related. I have to look through my papers to see exactly what it was. We can talk later. I'm going to see what Alex is up to."

Before Carlisle could respond, Caleb's back was already to him and he marched down the hall toward the staircase where he was stopped abruptly by Alice.

"Caleb," she said quietly. "We need to talk." She took him by the hand and let him to the far end of the house.

"I'm guessing you know," he said, not hiding the events of earlier that day.

Alice nodded, "You kissed her?" she whispered.

Caleb nodded back.

"Jasper told me your emotions are really high," she continued to whisper. "We can stop this-"

"No," he whispered back, looking over his shoulder, "Alice..." he shook his head.

"Do you have feelings for her Caleb?"

"No," he assured her right away.

Alice looked at him, "I keep seeing you changing your mind regarding talking to your dad."

"I was going to but I don't know. I don't feel like it right now."

"You should," she urged.

"What, or you will?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

"No." Alice shook her head and gave him a look from the tone he used with her.

"Sorry," he said looking down.

"Talk to me," she said, putting an arm over his shoulders. His mood was beginning to remind her of Edward's prior to meeting Bella.

Caleb sighed, "Nothing gets back to my parents?"

"Not unless whatever you tell me will put you in danger," she said, "Then I'll have to. If not, then nope. It will stay between us."

He looked over his shoulder again, then began to speak. "I just, I don't know. Certain things never bothered me before, but they do now."

"Like what?" she asked with a shrug.

"Like... I don't know. Just now I passed Rosalie and Emmett in the hall all over each other. Michael and Alex were all flirty with each other downstairs. My parents, you and Jasper; Edward and Bella if they were here."

"You're feeling left out of the "couples" equation?" Alice asked, "Hang with Nicole and Mac."

"I don't know if it's that, or what it is," Caleb told her, "I'm really not sure. I just had to really bite my tongue not to snap on Dad, and it was for no reason. God, maybe this Delilah thing is too much for me." He shook his head.

Alice asked him the same question from before, "You have to really ask yourself if you're beginning to have real feelings for this girl," she told him, "And if you do, you should get out now. Talk to Jasper about this. He went through a really tough time before we met over a girl who really manipulated him. Get out before you're in too deep Caleb."

"What happened with Jasper?"

"You want to hear the story?" she asked.

Caleb nodded.

"Come on," Alice slumped her arm around his shoulders and led him down toward their room.


	38. Older and Wiser

**Chapter 38**

"Something's off with Caleb," Esme said, rummaging through a bag of clothes she had just bought for a few of the kids.

Carlisle kicked off his shoes. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know," she said, shaking her head, "He was asking about when we first met, which is fine, but I think it was for reasons other than what he was saying; and he's been a little moody."

"Is it the girl?"

Esme stopped what she was doing and looked at him, "He said he wanted to talk to you about something. I knew he didn't want to talk to me about it, and he kind of threw it out there that it was a medical-related question when I tried to dig a little deeper. I don't know if that was the case, though." She shook her head. "Maybe you should talk to him anyway."

"I just asked if he wanted to," Carlisle said, "But he told me he was going down to find Alex." His eyes drifted toward the covered balcony doors as he thought, "He did actually kind of sound agitated by the way he responded and turned away so quickly."

"That's what I mean," Esme told him, "It's little things like that that are out of character for him. I don't think he should do it anymore. I just have this gut feeling that he should try to break away and get back to a normal life and a normal routine. He was happier before." She stared across the room toward him with worried eyes that carried just a small hint of motherly sadness.

Carlisle crossed the room and gave her a hug and a kiss on the forehead, "I'll talk to him. I'll wait until he comes back upstairs."

She nodded and kissed him, "Thanks."

He nodded and rubbed her back before heading toward the bathroom, putting the water on for a shower.

Esme reopened the shopping bag and removed a hat. It was the same style that her husband wore earlier in the previous century quite often and she glanced over at him.

Carlisle looked up and smiled as she grinned and tossed him the hat. He caught it and laughed.

"Remember the old days?" she asked with a laugh.

He put the hat on and took a look in the mirror, fitting it snugly, then turned to face her, "Of course I do."

Esme smiled, "You look cute in those."

Carlisle laughed and looked at himself again, then shrugged. "Where'd you find this?"

"The Gap," she told him with a shrug.

He crossed back toward her and hugged her, giving her a short string of kisses. Esme sighed and looked at him. She felt as if she could sit and relive their days together for the next couple of hours, but knew he was waiting to go into the shower. She kissed him once more and made her way back toward the bag.

"I love you," he said, removing the hat. He placed it on the arm of a chair in the corner of the room and began to get undressed.

Esme smiled as he winked at her while the last pieces of his clothing came off, then began to laugh. "Go shower," she told him, waving her hand at him with smile. "I have to make my rounds to the kids to give them their new clothes."

"I'll talk to him when I get out," he assured her.

Esme nodded and let him get into the bathroom before she opened the door and made her way through the house.

...

"Wow," Caleb said, upon hearing Jasper's whole story. "That's really... intense. I don't even know what other word to use."

"It was terrible," Jasper admitted, opening up to Caleb about the situation for the first time. He looked at Alice, "She saved me from all of that. I didn't know any better before. I had nothing to compare my relationship with Maria to. I thought what we had was love. When I found Alice, I quickly realized that it wasn't even close. It was a game; manipulation. She had me for awhile, and it took me a long time to get past that whole situation."

Alice smiled at him and rubbed his back. The two of them looked at Caleb, who was slightly awe-struck.

"Caleb," Esme said, prompting him to spin around as if he were just caught stealing.

"Mom!" he shouted, then regained the level of his voice, "Hey..."

She looked at him funny, then toward Alice and Jasper.

"Jumpy?" Jasper asked with a smirk.

Caleb half-heartedly laughed and looked up toward her. "What's up?" he asked coolly.

"I just came to bring the three of you some new clothes I picked up this morning while I was out," she said, "I hope they're okay."

Alice smiled, "Thank you," she said in a cheery tone, then unfolded a sweater and a pair of dark blue jeans, "Perfect."

"Thanks Esme," Jasper said with a smile, accepting a small bag full of things for him.

"Yeah, thanks," Caleb said, nodding toward his mother, "I'd say these would be great school clothes, but we wear those dumb uniforms." He laughed.

"Thankfully Forks didn't make us wear those ugly things," Alice said, laughing with him.

Esme smiled at them and saw the grin on Caleb's face. She knew Alice was good at making people feel better, and thought Jasper's ability may have played a role in Caleb's smiles. "Well, that's all," she said with a grin, "I have to head over to Rosalie and Emmett."

"Don't do it now," Alice whispered, scrunching her nose. "William and Mackenzie are both out hunting so they... are having some alone time."

Caleb looked at Jasper and they both began to laugh quietly.

Esme looked at Caleb for a moment and shook her head, then back to Alice. "Thanks for the warning."

She gave a thumbs up, "You got it."

"Thanks Mom," Caleb said again as she walked away.

"You're welcome honey," Esme told him with a smile.

When the clicking sound of her shoes faded out, Caleb looked back toward Alice and Jasper.

"I still think you should talk to your dad," Alice said, "But that's just me."

"Be careful," Jasper added, "I can sense all of your emotions and they've calmed down a little, but they're still there. Don't feel like you're being weak if you decide to pull out of this."

Caleb looked at the two of them and nodded. He felt more content from their talk, but also more afraid of what could potentially come from the situation. There was something there that he recognized. It pulled at his core, but he didn't feel like he was in so deep that he couldn't get out.

"Rosalie's another one to talk to if you don't want to talk directly with your mom and dad," Alice said, "She'll tell you about her story; how she was in love with the idea of love and ended up in a bad situation."

"I kind of talked to her and Emmett one time about it... briefly. And Alex has already lectured me about Peter."

"We just all want to make sure you're okay," Alice told him, "And I guess we just think maybe you can learn from what happened to us now that we're older, wiser and have more insight."

Jasper nodded in agreement and linked himself closer with Alice. "And don't sweat it that some of us are in relationships, and some of you aren't. You're young. I had to wait awhile before I found Alice."

"Likewise," Alice told him, "And don't get me started on your dad. He was alone for almost three hundred years."

"I can't even fathom that time frame," Caleb said.

"But you also have to live and see things for yourself," she added, "Make your own mistakes; live and learn."

"Unfortunately sometimes that's the only way," Jasper said with a shrug.

Caleb nodded and the three of them sat silently for a moment. He smiled and looked around, then realized Jasper had mellowed him out. "Jas," he said, shaking his head. Like others who disliked the mood control, Caleb welcomed it after feeling so conflicted for the last couple days, "Can you just do that all day and follow me around when I'm around Delilah?"

Jasper laughed but shook his head, "Think about what you just said and evaluate if you should still be doing what you're doing." He raised his eyebrows and Caleb nodded as he began to think.

Alice patted him on the shoulder and took Jasper's hand as they began to walk away. "Spill your guts to pops. He'll give you good advice."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of," Caleb told them.


	39. Sick Day

**Chapter 39**

Caleb held off on his talk with Carlisle, but didn't rule it out as something he would like to do in the future. School was cancelled on Friday, leaving him with a three day weekend away from school, and away from Delilah. He had returned her text messages, though forced himself not to rush into responding. He also purposely missed the phone call she sent him and keeping busy with his family helped in putting things out of his mind a bit. The short time span of distance proved to aid in the way he was feeling, though it didn't completely wash away what lingered internally.

Monday rolled around and the morning hours were approaching. Carlisle got ready for work at the same time the kids were getting ready for school.

"Last week of day shifts for awhile," he told Esme, as she straightened his tie in the kitchen.

She smiled at him and gave him a kiss. The two of them glanced over toward Caleb as he approached.

"Hey, can I take the day off today?" he asked, "I'd like to go out and hunt on my own and explore the area a little. I'm not trying to get out of school or anything, I just think one more day would be nice to kind of clear my head."

Carlisle and Esme looked at each other, both having the same type of thoughts.

"Is everything okay?" Carlisle asked him.

"Yeah," he said, "Everything's fine. I just could use a little time to myself... if that's alright."

Esme glanced at Carlisle again and they seemed to want to have a private conversation for a moment, though Caleb stood waiting a few feet in front of them. Esme nodded to Carlisle and he turned to their son.

"Alright," he said, "But why don't the two of us have a talk some time tonight. I haven't sat down and talked to you about school, or any of it. " He wanted to say Delilah but he didn't want to make the focal point about her."

Caleb nodded, "Okay."

"Where are you going to go?" Esme asked him, "Not too far..."

"No, not too far," he agreed, "I just want to get out of the house and away from here." Caleb picked up on the concerned looks of both of them, then tried to rephrase his statement, "I just have cabin fever that's all. I want to run and just be outside, and hunt. I haven't hunted since Wednesday."

They both looked at his eyes at the same time and Carlisle nodded again. "That's fine."

"I'll call in and tell them you're not feeling well," Esme said.

"Alright," Caleb nodded. He looked at his father, who seemed to see through him.

"Talk later?" he asked.

"Yeah."

Carlisle messed up his son's hair and smiled, "Don't go too far."

"I won't," he assured him.

Esme looked at Caleb, "Do you want to ask one of the boys to go with you?"

He shook his head, "I just want to go."

"Alright," she said, "Have you phone on in case I need to get a hold of you."

"Okay," he agreed, "The only time I won't answer is if I'm really hunting something down."

Esme nodded and kissed him on the cheek, then gave him a hug. "Be careful."

"I will." Caleb looked at Carlisle, "I'll talk to ya later tonight."

"Alright," Carlisle said.

Caleb nodded at them, then took off, leaving the house in less than a second.

Esme looked at Carlisle, "I'm worried about him," she said, shaking her head, "Make him talk to you tonight when you get home. I don't want him to keep trying to put it off."

"I will," he assured her, "I promise."

She nodded, and fiddled nervously with her necklace.

Carlisle could tell from her subtle actions that she was on edge. He placed a hand over hers as she clung to the piece of jewelry. Her eyes rose to meet his. "We're not going to let anything happen to him. He'll be okay. Why don't we tell him to put an end to all this? He can switch classes or something and just try to start over in a sense. If that doesn't work, then we'll relocate."

Esme could see that he was reading her expression. She nodded and looked down. "He seems to put on this fake happiness when he's around me," she explained, "And I think he's feeling worse than he's trying to lead on."

"We'll have stop then," Carlisle told her sincerely. "I'll straighten everything out tonight. Even if he insists that he's alright, I'll still make him change his plans."

She sighed and felt heavy inside, knowing she could do nothing for their son. It was something he would have to work out on her own, but Esme hadn't quite gotten used to the reality that she couldn't be their to save him from everything the world had to offer.

"When are Edward and Bella suppose to arrive back from Forks?" she asked him.

"In a couple days," Carlisle said. He then thought for a moment, "Tomorrow actually."

Esme nodded, "I'm ready to let him go through Caleb's mind. I know it's not necessarily right but I want to make sure he's okay."

He smiled and brushed her hair back then kissed her several times in a row. There was still a slight pout on her face and Carlisle sighed. "Don't worry too much," he assured her, placing both hands on the sides of her face. "This is all new for Caleb; a new state, his first school..." He shrugged, "He'll adjust and we'll do whatever we need to to make sure he's alright. Okay?"

Esme looked into his eyes and placed a hand over his. She trusted everything about his words and nodded again. His certainty made her feel better and she knew he would truly do anything to make sure their son was happy and comfortable. "Okay," she said more surely.

"If I could stay I would," Carlisle said, leaving his hands gently against her.

"Go to work," she told him, shaking her head, "I'm fine. It's just a motherly feeling. I hate knowing there's something going on beyond my control that I can't help him with." She cleared her throat and felt her eyes get a little damp. She fought hard not to let the feeling get the best of her.

Carlisle kissed her once and wiped away a few tears that managed to fall. "It'll be alright, Esme. He's okay." He pulled her in to a hug.

"He's in this too deep already," she said, letting a few more tears fall, "I know he is. I can feel that he is. He has that unmistakable look."

He rubbed her back as she kept him against her, "What do you mean?"

"I've seen them all go through it to some extent," Esme said, recomposing herself. She took a deep breath and moved one of her hands to the back of his neck and subconsciously began running her hand over his hair.

"You mean, you think that..." he didn't know how to end the sentence.

"I don't want to say love, but I think he feels something strongly for her; even more than I saw in Alex with Peter. I think it's more than that." She shook her head, "And if it were any other circumstance I would naturally be happy about it for him, but this girl is working with the Volturi. Alice said her plan is to get Caleb right where he is now."

Carlisle sighed deeply against her and hugged her tighter, "We'll put an end to it now."

"What if we have to move somewhere else again?"

"Then we'll move," he told her, "We'll do anything we have to. We'll figure it out together... as a family."

Esme pulled back and looked at him.

Carlisle brought his hands toward her face again and dried her eyes with this thumbs then kissed her again, "I promise I'll fix this whole situation when I get home, and when he gets home."

She took a deep breath and nodded, "I'm sorry. I was trying to hold it in until you went to work."

He managed a smile, "Don't get in the habit of doing that. This is what I'm here for. We're a team. We handle these things together."

"I know," Esme said, "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry."

She pulled him for a kiss and repositioned his tie, "Go to work. Send me a quick text when you get in."

Carlisle nodded and touched her lips gently with his again. "Call me if you need me and I'll come home."

"I'm fine," Esme assured him, "We'll figure things out a little better tonight."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too."

Carlisle kissed a final time before heading out the front door.

Esme sighed and closed it after he began to pull away in his car, then leaned up against the back of the door and closed her eyes. She forced herself to get it together, before she began making her rounds to make sure everyone else was getting ready for school. She then made the phone call to the main office to let them know that Caleb would be staying home sick for the day.


	40. Insanity

**Chapter 40**

Caleb had wandered around town, mainly through the thickest parts of the woods where he wouldn't have even the slightest chance of bumping into anyone. He'd hunted several times and felt "full" in a sense. He had crossed closely with several other animals he could have easily hunted but his thirst was fully quenched. A part of him felt better; mainly the physical part. Mentally, he still found himself confused.

A half a day had gone by and he stumbled back upon the town that he lived in. School wasn't out yet. His watched indicated there was still over an hour left in the day. He'd received a text message from Delilah just before noon asking why he hadn't been in English class. He hadn't texted her back and she never sent a second message.

_She probably thinks I'm mad at her over the kiss thing_, he thought.

Caleb changed his course so he wandered along the outskirts of the woods close to the school. From where he stood he could see the window to her room that he'd slunk into the night after the party. He quickly scanned the area and scaled the brick wall, knowing no one was around to see him sneak into her dorm room.

For a moment he felt frozen. He didn't know why he had crept into her room. He knew it was wrong, and sick even, but he couldn't help himself.

_She's spying on me so why shouldn't I do the same? _he thought, pretending to justify his actions in his mind. In reality, however, he knew what he was doing was wrong in a lot of ways. Still, his curiosity got the best of him and he scanned her room, hoping to find something to give away what really made Delilah tick.

Right away he noticed that the twin beds that had been separated were pushed together as he had suggested the last time he was there. Under the mattress was the first place he looked, hoping to find some kind of diary or journal but there was nothing there. He sighed and his eyes drifted toward the photos on her wall that he'd just glanced at from the hallway before.

A small crossed his face for a moment, but it faded just as quickly. Delilah was human in those photos. Her eyes were hazel and her skin was tan from the sunlight. Most of the pictures she had were of her and her human friends. There was one, however, that she had taken with a elderly woman and it made him see her in a whole different light.

On the table in front of them there was a birthday cake. The candles were shaped in the numbers nine and zero. Delilah couldn't have been older than ten in the photo, though it was clearly her. She had the same face, only younger and her smile was big and bright. She leaned over and the old woman and had her chin placed on her shoulder while the woman's hand covered hers. It was one of the greatest family pictures Caleb had ever seen. There was obviously a love between the two of them that only existed in family.

He sighed and looked down, feeling guiltier now for spying on her. He was about to leave when his eyes met the half open laptop screen on her desk in the corner of the room.

Caleb slowly crossed over to it and took a deep breath, lifting the screen fully so he could read what she was surfing the net for.

A Google search engine was opened with a single sentence typed in the search bar and a number of websites were rattled off beneath it in response. His eyes crossed over the question at least ten times. It read: _How do you know if you're in love with someone?_

Caleb put his hands on his hips and stepped back for a moment. The question ran through his mind over and over and he wondered if it had anything to do with him. He rushed back over toward the computer and began to look at the websites that were strewn below the search bar. Two of them were highlight purple, which he knew meant she had already visited them.

He tried the first, finding nothing overly intriguing. The second site was a forum, and he could see she'd created a pen name and posted things on the site. The nagging feelings he had inside urged him to continue and he thought how his self-control had long since gone out the window.

"Recent posts," he said to himself, clicking on the link.

Caleb scanned the screen with wide eyes and read a post she'd written under the anonymity of the name Dellsbells178.

_If anyone could give me input on a tough situation, it would probably help a lot. I'm having trouble with feelings I've been having over a boy I met. To keep things short and sweet, our families don't exactly get along and I was kind of forbidden to fall in love with him. I had no problem with this at first, but now that I know him it's not so simple. We have class together at school, and we've hung out outside of school too. I've never felt like this for anyone, but I'm afraid what my family will say if I let them know that I love him. Do I tell him how I feel? Do I tell him the truth that I was destined to be here to make his life miserable but accidentally fell madly in love with him? I don't even know if I'm madly in love, but I'm something. What do I do? Please someone help. I need advice... soon._

Caleb read that the posting had been sent around ten after seven in the morning.

_She must have sent it before leaving for school and was hoping to get responses in the afternoon_, he thought.

He clicked the "back" button twice and left the computer on the screen it was on when he entered the room. He then repositioned the computer so it was tilted at the same angle it had been and crossed back to look at the picture of Delilah and who he assumed must have been her grandmother.

_She's going to know I was in here_, he suddenly realized. His scent was surely going to linger in her room.

Caleb looked around and tried to think of something. He then realized he'd been wearing the sweatshirt she let him borrow and thought it was a great "out" to his problem. He removed it so he only wore a t-shirt and left a note thanking her for the shirt, while also apologizing for coming into her room without permission. He left it on the center of the bed and then bolted out the room as fast as he'd entered.

_She loves me?_ he asked himself. _Is it some kind of game she's playing?_ Caleb shook his head and argued with himself, _No, she never meant for you to read that. She wouldn't have suspected I would climb into her room and stumble upon one of the many links she'd clicked on only to find that she anonymously confessed her love for me over the internet._

Caleb cursed to himself and ran back home. After making it through most of the day with a clear head, he suddenly found himself back at square one. He suddenly couldn't wait for Edward to return home from his trip to Forks with Bella. He wanted him to read her mind so he could be certain that what he read matched what she felt. He didn't know how to set up such a thing, but he was sure he could make it work.

_I can't go right home_, he thought, _Mom will definitely know something's up if I return like this._

He sprinted back out the way he came, deep into the woods and stayed there for hours. A major part of him wanted to confess to Delilah that he knew everything, and forgive her for lying to him in the same breath. He didn't care that she lied. He felt she was as conflicted as he was. They could help each other and work together and get past this awful, confusing time.

_I love her_, he thought, _why does it have to be her? Why couldn't it have been someone else; anyone else?_

Caleb wanted to cry but he couldn't. He felt stone-like and positioned himself with his back against a tree. He placed his hands over his face and took in as many deep breaths as he could. The image of Delilah and the old woman passed through his mind, as did the words she wrote on the website.

His phone suddenly went off in his pocket and it was her. He sighed and didn't pick up, glancing down at the phone as it rang furiously in his face with her name illuminated on the screen. When the signal for a missed call beeped three times, he felt like he'd been repeatedly stabbed in the ear. It was a deafening tone and he wished he had picked up. She was probably wondering where he was all day. She was probably calling about the sweatshirt. She was probably thinking he was mad at her, but he wasn't. He wasn't mad at her at all.

Another sound rang through his ears indicating he had a voice mail. Delilah's wondering voice pierced his ears even harder than the missed call signal. "Hey Caleb. It's Delilah..." Her voice sounded melancholy and low, "I just wanted to say thank you for returning the shirt. It was nice of you and I don't mind that you came into my room. It's fine. Anyway, I haven't seen you since Thursday and I... I, uh, I miss you. Call me back when you can. Okay. I'll talk to you... later, or soon, I guess."

Caleb felt pressure on his chest, like some unknown, invisible force was pushing him into the tree. He grasped his midsection with his hand and looked down at his phone. He waited for fifteen minutes or so hoping she would call him again, or at least send a text message. When she didn't, he used all of his strength and turned and kicked the tree down, then bolted in the direction of the school.

The day was gone and night had fallen. He had been in contact with Esme all day and so she hadn't been blowing up his phone. He was sure his father would be home from work soon, if he wasn't already and was expecting a father-son talk. Despite all of that, his legs carried him in the direction of her window.

Breaths huffed and puffed out of his mouth and he wondered if he was experiencing what it felt like to be out of breath. He had one image in mind - her face. He couldn't take neglecting the feeling anymore, especially now that he was sure she felt the same way. He wanted to help her and give her a way out. He knew if she loved him that Edward would see it, and Alice would confirm it. With that, his father would protect her from Aro and the Volturi. They could make it work and be together.

Caleb felt nervous and anxious and happy all at once when he spotted her window from a distance. Delilah must have sensed him in the area because the window suddenly snapped open and she leaned out. Her eyes searched frantically for him and her body slumped with relief when he ran out of the woods and into the small clearing just outside where she was.

They stared at each other for a moment, neither knowing what to say or do before Caleb swung himself up into the window.

Delilah stared at him. Her mouth hung open in a type of shock and she couldn't take her eyes away. He didn't know what he was doing, or what he wanted to say, but he knew he had to say _something_.

"Why weren't you in class?" she asked, her voice shook and she stared down at her phone. "You haven't answered my calls, or my texts-"

Caleb didn't let her finish. He crushed her mouth with his own and he didn't think about anything else; right or wrong.

Delilah pulled him as close to her as possible and kissed him back, this time without reservation. She had felt sick without seeing him, or hearing from him. When he failed to show up in English class she felt like she could have collapsed. She almost said she didn't feel good so she could go back to the room, or stake him out, or get to the bottom of his absence.

"Caleb," she tried to say in between his pursuit of her mouth. When he didn't respond, she didn't try to explain anything at that moment. She just wanted to kiss him, and hold him. At that moment, she felt as if she was exactly where she should be.

Without even realizing it, Caleb found himself on top of her on her bed and felt her hands clutching the back of his shirt hard.

"Wait, wait, wait," Delilah said, "Caleb, wait."

He suddenly snapped back to reality and it registered in his mind that he had absolutely no idea what he was doing. He pushed himself back, trying to get himself completely away from her but she held him lightly so he couldn't completely back away.

"I've... I've never done... this before," Delilah told him, "I don't know what to do." She wasn't lying. She'd never felt even remotely close to anyone to let them this close to her. She never trusted anyone before.

Caleb knew she was telling him the truth. He saw the apprehension in her eyes and body language. He suddenly felt badly for taking such a strong, bold, emotional action. He didn't know how he even found himself on top of her to begin with.

"Me either," he admitted, closing his eyes.

Delilah tried reaching up to touch the side of his face but he pulled back and distanced himself as far away from her as he could.

"Caleb," she, looking down. She sat upright on the edge of the bed and stared at him with sad, confused eyes.

He glanced over at her photos again, still feeling touched for some reason about the one he'd seen earlier. She followed his eyes and stared at him, then slowly made her way to him.

Caleb seemed to freeze up and neither accepted nor declined her action. Before he knew it their lips were locked again and he couldn't keep himself from kissing her. Something deep down felt right about it.

Delilah stepped back for a moment before Caleb was the one to reignite their kiss. She stopped thinking and pulled back toward her forcefully until they were back on top of the bedspread. When she began to hesitantly remove her shirt, Caleb pulled himself back.

"I can't do this, Delilah," he said, going from the bed toward the window.

"Stay," she said, "Please stay. I want to talk to you about something."

"I-I can't," he stuttered, "Delilah, I'm sorry. I'll explain everything later."

"I love you," she blurted out.

Caleb stared at her and felt his chest and throat tighten. He then scampered out the window and ran back out into the woods, frantically dialing his father's number as he did. His frantic breaths almost made it impossible for him to hear and he realized that he was beginning to sob quietly fro the overwhelming feelings he was experiencing.

Carlisle picked up right away and Caleb was never more thankful to hear his voice. "Dad," he called loudly, not trying to hide the fact that he was upset, "Dad I need to talk to you. I need you to meet me right now. Just you. No one else."

"Okay," he responded, sounding just as worried and anxious, "Where are you? Where do you want me to meet you? Home?"

"No," he shouted, "Go out the back door and run for three miles. I'll meet you out in the woods."

"Alright," Carlisle agreed, "Caleb, are you hurt? Is someone trying to hurt you?"

"No," he said again, "I'm alone. No one's trying to hurt me." He began to cry, "I just need to talk to you."

"Okay, okay," he said, "I'll meet you there right now."

"Okay," he said, hearing his mother begin to speak frantically in the background. He didn't care that she knew what was going on but he wanted to speak with his father. He was going to tell him everything.

Caleb looked over his shoulder several times as he went, though he knew that Delilah hadn't followed him. At that moment, he couldn't wait to be in his father's company. His mind was a mess and he hoped he could help reason him back to feeling sane again.


	41. Letter

**Chapter 41**

Carlisle beat Caleb to the spot he had asked to meet him, though was wandering around the area until he finally saw his son.

"What's wrong?" he asked, approaching him as fast as he could.

"Dad, it's Delilah..." Caleb told him. Tears were in his eyes and had left streaks on his face on the run over.

Carlisle immediately pulled him into a hug and felt horrible for his son. Despite how old he looked, he was so immature in the world. He had only alive for a couple of years and he knew there was a lot he didn't understand. "What's going on?"

"She loves me Dad..." he said, but looked pained by the words.

Carlisle looked at him and tried to hide the skepticism in his facial features.

"Really," he said. His mind was all over the place but he decided to start from the beginning and be completely honest. "Dad, I was in a weird mood the other day because I kissed her. I didn't know why I did it, but I did. That's why I didn't want to go back to school today, because it was Thursday afternoon before the snow storm. She left and I didn't know why; then today I... I snuck into her room when she was in class and I read something she posted on the internet. It was about me. She loves me."

"Caleb..." Carlisle shook his head for a moment.

"I killed the rest of the day in the woods and she called me to ask why I wasn't in class. I went to her room and I, we.. I kissed her again..."

He looked at his son, "Just now?"

Caleb nodded, "She was about to tell me everything about the Volturi, but I left because we almost, well, we almost... I just had to leave, and as I left she told me that she loved me. That's when I called you." Tears continued to fall down his face, "Dad, I don't know what to do right now."

"She was going to tell you that she was working with Aro?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes," he said.

Carlisle ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure what to say.

"Dad, I want what you and Mom have; what Alice and Jasper have, and everyone. I want it with Delilah."

"I don't know if you're sure what she wants, Caleb," he shook his head, "Alice saw everything before she arrived."

"Things changed," Caleb told him, "Never in a million years would she have known that I would have read that internet post. I was suppose to be in class with her, and I had to do a little searching to find that she posted about how she loves me, and how conflicted she is about lying to me." He shook his head, "And she said she loved me when I was leaving."

Carlisle wanted things to work out for his son, but he wasn't sure if Caleb was seeing things that weren't there, or thinking Delilah had the same real feelings he did for her. He didn't want to encourage his thoughts if they were inaccurate and he didn't want to put him down either.

"I _love_ her Dad," he said strongly. "I know I'm not suppose to, but I do."

He didn't want to argue, but he knew he had to come to a sensible solution for the time being. "Come back to the house. We'll talk everything over as a family. We'll figure out what to do."

"I need you to save her," Caleb said, "If she goes back to Italy they'll kill her. You know they will. When Aro reads her every thought he'll be able to see everything that just happened."

Carlisle looked at him. He knew of Aro's power from Esme's lessons and from their talk of the Volturi on occasion. "What exactly happened?" he asked.

"We didn't... have sex," he shook his head and wiped his eyes, "But that's why I left."

"Let's go back to the house," Carlisle said again. He was relieved for what Caleb had just said, but knew there was a far deeper emotional concern they had to get to the bottom of and talk about. His son was an emotional wreck.

Caleb felt like he was going to pass out, but he knew that was impossible and so he let the weight of the world push him to the ground. He collapsed and sat down with his back against a tall tree. "I screwed this all up," he said, shaking his head, "We're going to get involved in something we shouldn't be, and Delilah's life is in jeopardy."

"You didn't screw up anything, Caleb," Carlisle told him, squatting down, "And Delilah made her own choices by siding with the Volturi."

"She didn't know any better. I saw a picture of her with her grandmother in the room when she was younger. She's told me that she didn't have a stable life when she was human; that she bounced around from school to school. I think her grandmother was her caregiver and when she died, she never had anyone else who cared about her. That was when the Volturi changed her because she was just a vulnerable girl with no ties to anyone anymore. It was like she wouldn't be missed. She didn't know there was a better immortal life than the one they were giving her."

Carlisle took in everything his son was saying, and his thoughts drifted back to Michael. He knew of Michael's past and he was also sent to aid in killing their family. On his path over, he decided to break ties with Olivia and her army and helped their family out greatly, eventually falling in love with Alexandra. Things had worked out for the two of them.

"Can you help her Dad?" Caleb asked, more begging than anything else. "Please. I don't want her to go back to them."

The two of them stared at each other with an anxious intensity.

"Get Edward to read her mind," Caleb said, "That's how confident I am in this. He'll be able to see that she loves me; that she's good."

"Edward gets home in the morning," Carlisle said, though acknowledged that it was a good idea. He knew he would do what he could for Delilah if she wanted to be helped, which through Caleb's words sounded slightly more promising. "We'll come to a conclusion as a family, Caleb."

"Rosalie and Alex won't side with me," he said, rolling his eyes as more tears managed their way out.

He sighed and looked down, "We'll talk about this. We'll talk to Alice."

Caleb seemed to have a small spark of hope at the mention of her name. He was close with Alice and suddenly wanted to talk with her. "Can you call her?"

Carlisle nodded, "She can meet us out here and we can talk, but we have to go home soon. Mom is wreck because I left so quickly. She's been worried about you all day."

"I know," he said, "I'm sorry." He took a deep breath and Carlisle held out a hand to help him up off the ground, then began to dial Alice.

...

Esme paced around the house and waited for Carlisle or Caleb to call her. She knew her feelings were right on earlier in the morning when Caleb had continued to act out of character. She could hear how hysterical he sounded on the phone with Carlisle, and she wanted to rush with him to where ever their son was. She trusted, however, that her husband knew what was best from whatever Caleb had said to him. He had requested that she stay at home, though would never force her to do so. Esme had complied, but was beginning to wish she had gone with them.

The entire family was on edge, and many of them attempted to give Esme positive words though they gradually gave her more room to breath as they sensed she needed that more.

She walked toward the front entrance to their home and then paced toward a window at the back of the house and looked out, not knowing what she was looking for. Her actions were more of just a tactic to pass the slowly ticking time.

A light knock on the door caught her attention, and she wasn't sure if she was imagining it, or not, because it was so light. Esme crossed back to the front door and listened again for a moment. When there wasn't a second knocking sound, she opened the door out of curiosity.

On the front step stood a young woman with light brown hair and a distraught look on her face. She stood holding an envelope and looked a combination of scared, anxious and sad.

"Are you Mrs. Cullen? Caleb's mom?" she asked.

Esme was almost in shock. She knew the girl was Delilah. "Yes. You must be Delilah?"

The girl nodded and her face twitched in such a way that Esme knew she would have been crying if it were possible. "I'm... moving away. I'm leaving and I just wanted Caleb to have this." She handed Esme the envelope.

"What is this?" she asked, taking it from her hand.

Delilah took a deep breath, appearing as if she could barely speak. "The truth."

Esme knew she had an awe-struck look on her face and couldn't keep her mouth from hanging open in shock.

"I'm really sorry," Delilah said, "I... I have to go. Please tell him I'm sorry."

"Wait-" Esme started, but Delilah took off as quickly as she had arrived.

Emmett and Rosalie both hurried to where Esme stood.

"What happened?" he asked.

Rosalie took in a deep breath through her nose. "Was she here?"

Esme looked at them, but didn't say anything and looked down at the envelope in her hand.

"What's that?" Rosalie asked.

The rest of the kids came to where they stood, minus Alice and Jasper, who were on their way to meet Carlisle and Caleb.

William took in a deep breath in the same way Rosalie had, "That was definitely Delilah," he said, "That's her scent."

Esme didn't care about who the letter was intended for at that moment. She opened it and read it with Rosalie on one side of her and Emmett just behind. Alex clung to her other side with Michael. They all read the letter together.

_Caleb,_

_I am going to start at the beginning. I was changed into a vampire after having a very unstable life as a human. When I was young, like real young, my father used to hit my mother. I remember it despite being only about five. One day he was gone and I later read in an article that he had been killed when he was out late one night. My mother developed a drinking problem and eventually drank herself to death. I lived with her mother (my grandmother) for about six years until she passed away from natural causes. Since I had been eleven years old, I felt nothing. I was "raised" in this immortal life by the Volturi. I don't know why they picked me, but I had nothing else to compare them to. I didn't even know this world existed a year ago, and I was thrown into it. They painted this very inaccurate picture of you and your family. They sent me here to spy on you, and told me to flirt with you to get information. It seemed easy enough, and I thought it was justified but it wasn't. It didn't take long for me to realize how good you were, and when you told me a little about your family I knew they were good too. I left the pool that day that you kissed me because I recognized how strong my feelings were for you, and I felt bad kissing you while I was lying behind your back. Believe me, I wanted more than anything to stay there with you that day, but I started to cry as I ran back down through the tunnel toward the library. I'm glad you came back to my room today because I could tell in the way that you kissed me that you love me the way that I love you. This is why I have to go. I can't keep doing this to you and your family. I'm going to confess to Aro that I love you and that I can't do this job for him any longer. I know what he's capable of, so if this is my ticket out of this world and into the next, I'm content with that. I can honestly say that I went out on a high note upon finally feeling love, that real kind of love, for the first time. I love you Caleb, and I am deeply, deeply sorry for what I've done._

_Delilah_

_P.S. - I'm sorry. I can't say it enough._


	42. Just Trust Alice

**Chapter 42**

"Do you think this is an honest letter?" Rosalie asked skeptically.

Esme continued to scan across the lettering with her eyes, and she pulled out her phone to call Carlisle. Before she could hit the send button, her phone rang.

"Alice!" she called out loudly.

"Delilah is being honest," she said loudly, "She's going back to confess everything to Aro. They aren't going to meet in their typical place. She's meeting him somewhere else so we won't be able to follow her."

Esme sighed, "She just left here a few minutes ago. She dropped off a letter for Caleb confessing everything."

Caleb had apparently heard what Esme said and his voice could be heard shouting in the background, "She was there? Where is she? Is she still there?"

Carlisle got on the line, "Esme?"

"Carlisle, is he okay?"

"Um... he's alright," he said, "Delilah showed up at the house?"

"Yes," Esme told him, "She dropped off a letter and left before I could even say a word back."

"What letter?" Caleb asked, shouting into the receiver on the other end.

"Caleb," Carlisle said quietly, then resumed his conversation with Esme, "How long ago did she leave?"

"Less than five minutes ago."

"Esme, we're going to go after her," he said, "The four of us. Stay at the house with everyone else."

"Wait, Carlisle-"

"We're just going to try to catch her before she tries making her way overseas. Does she have a plane ticket?"

"I-I don't know," Esme said, shaking her head and putting her hand on her forehead.

"We're going to try to catch her, follow her scent," Carlisle explained, "Jasper is already leading us in that direction right now. We'll catch up to her before she has a chance to go. Keep your phone on."

"Carlisle..." she took a deep breath and knew she might regret giving the 'okay' to them, "Alright," she managed to say.

"I love you, I'll call you soon," he said.

Esme could tell he was running by the wind sounds that created breaks in his sentences. "Okay. Be safe Carlisle, please. Don't let him board a plane."

"I won't. I'll call you soon. I love you," he repeated.

"I love you," she said quietly, only hanging up the phone when she saw that he had on the other end.

"They're going to find her?" Emmett asked.

Esme nodded.

"What if this is a set-up?" Alex asked.

Esme shook her head and took a deep breath, "It's not. Alice saw her meeting with Aro in a secret location so we couldn't find them."

Michael decided to speak up and add his own opinion and insight, "I was brought into this life by Olivia and her group. They had me doing things that I knew were wrong, but I was scared and would have been alone otherwise." He looked at Alex first, then Esme and Rosalie, "When I came to your family, she had asked me to do the same type of thing that this girl was asked to do by the Volturi. I thought about it for a second, but I knew it was wrong and I warned you instead."

"But that was different," Alex said.

"No," he shook his head, "I don't think it is. I think she realized that what was going on didn't feel right, and I think falling in love with your brother was the straw the broke the camel's back. I believe her. I understand things from her point of view."

All eyes were on Michael, who was typically soft spoken and generally stayed quiet when it came to big issues unless he was completely confident in something.

Esme sighed, "I agree with you Michael. She was distraught when she handed this to me and I couldn't even respond before she was running away."

Everyone looked around at each other and Rosalie put a hand on Esme's shoulder.

...

"We're going to catch her," Jasper said as they ran. He looked over his shoulder at Caleb for a moment, "We're getting close."

"She's going to the airport," Alice said, "She's planning on flying back to Italy. She has the money to get a ticket there. Aro gave her plenty."

"We'll stop her and convince her to stay and talk with us," Carlisle said.

Caleb still looked upset as he ran.

"She won't be able to buy a ticket and board the plane without us getting there just after her. It takes a while for a plane to actually take off," Carlisle told him.

"He's right," Alice said, also looking at Caleb.

Caleb remained quiet but was hoping they were right and not just trying to make him feel better.

"She's got to be inside," Jasper said, pointing in the distance toward a parade of bright lights. The loud sounds of airplanes taking off sounded off in the immediate area and the four of them stopped before they broke out onto the runway.

Carlisle put a hand out in front of Caleb and looked at Alice.

"This way," she said, pointing to the right, "Come on."

Carlisle and Caleb exchanged a look and he pushed his son lightly ahead of him as they headed toward the parking lot and main entrance of the airport.

The sun had gone down and they easily made their way inside once they emerged onto the lot.

Caleb's eyes frantically scanned the area and he immediately darted ahead of the rest of them.

"Caleb!" Carlisle called out, dulling his voice in the middle of shouting his name so he wouldn't cause a scene. He trailed his son, trying not to run through the place. Alice and Jasper walked as fast as they could just behind him, each looking around as they did to see if anyone was looking at them suspiciously. Luckily, the place was filled with humans rushing to get to their planes and boarding stations on time, so they actually blended in with the crowd.

Caleb wanted to scream out her name and get her attention, but he kept a low profile until he finally saw her up at the counter purchasing a ticket. She carried only a backpack and let it slump lazily over one shoulder.

He ran up to her as fast as he could at "human" speed, drawing looks from other people in line. Carlisle, Alice and Jasper stood back a moment and let him say what he needed to.

"Excuse me sir," a middle-aged woman called, raising her hand, "The line's back this way."

Delilah turned and her eyes widened when she saw him.

"Sir!" the woman called again.

"I'm, I'm not in line," Caleb told her as politely as possible, "I'm just..." He turned and looked at Delilah, "Don't do this," he told her, "Don't go."

She looked at him speechless, then let her gaze drift toward Carlisle, Alice and Jasper. "Why did you follow me here? How did you know I was here?"

"Alice," he said, "Haven't you done your homework?"

"What?"

"I know everything Delilah and I don't care," he said, "Stay here. My dad can help you. We can all help you."

She looked over his shoulder again, then back into his eyes, "You got my letter?"

"No," he shook his head.

Carlisle stepped forward, "Mom got the letter Caleb."

"We didn't go home," Caleb told Delilah.

"It explains everything," she said with a sob.

The lady behind the counter looked at them awkwardly and held her hand out, "Here's your receipt ma'am."

Delilah looked at the woman and tried to smile, "Thank you."

Caleb pulled her to the side and looked at the ticket in her hand, "Don't go."

"You know everything?"

He nodded, "That you've been working with the Volturi and you came here to try to get information from me by pretending to like me."

"I'm not pretending anymore," she told him, shaking her head.

"I know," Caleb said. He put his arms around her and Delilah hugged him hard. The tug on the back of his shirt cause his shirt to rip slightly, though he didn't move.

Delilah sobbed into his chest and Caleb kissed her forehead. "You don't have to go back to them," he whispered.

"Yes I do," she said.

"No you don't," he argued. "Stay here. Stay with us. We'll take care of you. _I'll_ take care of you."

"I can't do this to your family," Delilah told him, "I have to cut my ties with them or they'll come here."

"He's right," Alice said, stepping in.

Delilah looked at her in awe, then took in each one of them for the first time. "I've... only seen pictures of you," she said, as if speaking with a celebrity. Her eyes drifted to Carlisle, "You're... Caleb's dad?"

He nodded and her eyes shifted between the two of them.

Alice stepped back and Jasper knew immediately that she was having a more intense vision; something clear and concrete.

Carlisle looked at her, then to Jasper. "What are you seeing Alice?"

Caleb and Delilah never parted, still standing linked closely together. Delilah looked confused, and Caleb wanted to explain that she was having a vision but he couldn't get the words out. He just stood silently and contently with her in his arms.

"Get in line," Alice said, "We're getting tickets. We're going to Italy."

"Round trip?" Carlisle asked.

Alice knew what he meant; are we going to be coming home from this trip?

"Round trip," she confirmed, looking him in the eye. She looked at Jasper, who stared at her intently, "I'll explain on the ride over."

Carlisle looked down at his phone, then to Alice.

"Esme will forgive you," she said, "But we have to go now."

He closed his eyes for a moment, knowing he had promised her that he wouldn't let Caleb board a plane. On the same note, he saw hope in Alice's eyes and certainty in her voice. Reluctantly, he pulled out his phone and made the call, letting her know where they were going.

"Good thing he has the two days off from work," Jasper said, making a half-hearted joke.

The humor in his voice gave Carlisle a good feeling, but he knew their journey was far from over. Caleb looked at his father, unable to part himself from Delilah, who appeared just as a clingy to him.

He sighed and covered his ear with his free hand as he hit the send button. Esme picked up on the first ring and rather than saying her typical 'hello', she answered with, "Are you on your way home?"

Carlisle felt a pain pulling at his core before he spoke the next set of words, "We're..." he paused, "We're about to board a plane to Italy."


	43. Under the Shadows

**Snow day, no work for me today :) Can ya tell from all the chapters? lol inspired to write today**

* * *

**Chapter 43**

Carlisle sat next to Caleb on the plane in the seat closest to the isle. Delilah sat on the opposite side of Caleb and stared blankly out the window as they traveled through the air. Alice and Jasper sat across the way to Carlisle's right and tried to preoccupy themselves with whatever movie was playing on the back of the seats of the people in front of them.

Caleb's fingers were entwined with Delilah's. The solemn look on her face hadn't faded in the hours that had passed during their flight thus far.

Carlisle's posture was stiff and anxious. He breathed heavily a few times without realizing it and closed his eyes. A stewardess passed by and he didn't realize she had addressed him until a few seconds went by and her question registered in his mind.

"Are you alright?" she asked, apparently sensing his outward anxiety.

Alice and Jasper looked in his direction, as did Caleb and Delilah.

"I'm fine," he assured her with a smile, straitening up in his chair. He removed the hand that had been on his forehead for some time.

"Can I get you something?" she asked him. Her tone was honest and friendly. "A water? Something to eat?"

Carlisle smiled, "I'm alright," he said again, "But thank you."

She nodded back with a half-smile and continued to make her rounds up and down the isle.

Alice made eye contact with him before Carlisle slumped back down and closed his eyes to pretend he was sleeping. He didn't want any attention in their direction and wanted to just make it through the rest of the flight as easily and as quickly as possible. From where ever they were geographically, none of the phones they carried were able to make or receive calls. His thoughts alternated between Caleb, Delilah and the Volturi, and what Esme, Alex and everyone else was feeling back home.

He knew everything that was going on wasn't fair to Esme, and was prepared for an inbox full of text messages and voicemails when they landed. On the other hand, he trusted Alice's visions. Whatever they were about to get themselves into was most likely the best option she had seen.

Carlisle tried to distract his mind, knowing worrying was doing absolutely nothing for the situation. They were all stuck on the airplane and things were on a temporary hold. Still, he toyed with questions in his mind. _How would they approach Aro? How would they make it out unharmed with Delilah? Why would Aro or the Volturi spare her? What were the sacrifices that would have to be made? Would his son be in immediate danger for playing a major role in ruining their plan?_

"We're almost there," Alice said quietly.

Carlisle opened his eyes and looked around. He glanced at Alice, who was now whispering something to Jasper in a coaxing fashion and stroking the side of his face gently. He knew their travels to Italy were abrupt and none of them had had a chance to hunt just before. The plan ride had seemed ungodly long and it was surely taking its toll on him.

He adjusted and looked past Caleb and Delilah out the window. The view of the city below was clear and the elegant Italian towns passed by quickly, row by row of houses and streets.

Carlisle caught the tense look on Delilah's face, and for the first time he saw and was fully convinced that she was truly frightened. He had believed Alice, and saw the nature of the interaction between her and Caleb, but the look on her face masked nothing and he knew he needed to do what he could to help her.

The voice on the intercom sounded off, "Please remain in your seats and keep your seatbelts buckled. We will be landing in just a moment. If there is any type of emergency, please use the light above your head to signal one of our staff members and we'll be right over to assist you." The same message sounded off in Italian just afterwards and with a few minutes, the plan was skidding lightly onto the runway.

Carlisle looked over and saw Jasper sitting with his eyes closed. His jaw was clenched and Alice was planting kisses along his cheek. "Just a couple more minutes," she whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder.

A few minutes later, the five of them were on their way off the plane and out of the airport. Carlisle rented a car and got Jasper to the nearest wooded area he could find. Delilah, too, was far more parched than she had realized. Her focus on the Volturi's wrath had blinded her thirst, though the second they stepped out into the country she fed with a vicious intensity.

Carlisle, Alice and Caleb all hunted too, each also effected by the long ride and lack of hunting prior to the flight. When they were finished and had regrouped, Carlisle and Alice checked their phones, finding as many voicemails as they had imagined. Most were from Esme. There were several from Alex and Rosalie, and a number of text messages from Edward, who they had guessed had been completely caught up upon his return home.

Carlisle called Esme, who picked up before the phone completely rang once. "Are you there?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, "We just hunted and we're figuring out what to do right now."

"Okay," she said calmly.

There was a silence for a moment before Carlisle continued, "I'm sorry Esme. We had to come here."

"I know."

He sighed and turned his back on everyone, walking a few steps away while he lightly grabbed a handful of his hair, "We'll be back in a couple days."

Esme didn't say anything back right away so Carlisle spoke again. "Esme?"

"Just be careful, Carlisle. Please." He could tell she forced the sentence out.

"Okay," he said.

"Can I talk to Caleb?"

"Of course." Carlisle turned back around, "Caleb..." He waved him over and handed the phone off to his son.

"Hello," he said.

Alice put a hand on Carlisle's shoulder and looked at him, "It's going to be alright."

He nodded and Delilah approached them. "I didn't want any of you to come," she said honestly, "I'm sorry I'm the cause of all this."

"It's not your fault," Carlisle told her.

"Yes it is," she said with a nod.

"They took advantage of your vulnerability," Alice said to her. "We'll figure things out."

Jasper remained silent by Alice's side with his arms folded across his chest. Delilah looked at him a few times, not sure of what to make of his intensely blank stares.

"I love you too, Mom," Caleb said. He nodded and handed the phone back to Carlisle.

"Alice said things will be okay?" she asked him.

"Yes," he said lightly.

"When are you going to them?"

Alice mouthed the word "now" upon hearing her question and Carlisle nodded. "We're heading there now," he explained.

Esme remained silent for a moment, "So, I guess it would be pointless to say call me back before you go."

"We're not far," he told her. When she didn't respond he apologized again, "I know I said we wouldn't do this. I'm sorry Esme."

"Bring them back safely."

"I love you," he said.

"I love you."

Carlisle looked down, "I'll call you as soon as I can."

"Okay. Be safe. Please."

"We will."

They exchanged a few more words before he hung up.

"Ready?" Alice asked him.

Carlisle nodded and slid the phone in his pocket. They wandered toward the streets of Volterra and came quickly upon the scent of Caius first. He had apparently been aware of their presence and lingered in the shadows under the clock tower in the center of the city. His silhouette was frightening, yet casual and he leaned lazily against a stone pillar with his arms folded.

"I see you've come to return a package to our coven," he said in a crisp, calm fashion.

"Caius..." Delilah's voice pierced his ear's.

"We'd like to speak with you about Delilah," Alice said, stepping forward. She had seen this all play out already.

Caius stepped forward to meet her like an opposing pawn on a chess board. Alice had made the first move and he intended to counter it. "I see the worst has happened." His eyes drifted to the linked hands of Delilah and Caleb, "Unless you're very good at what we asked you to do. Somehow, I doubt it."

"I could see in my visions that you sent her to us," Alice said, "She didn't blow her cover. We knew all along. We just want to... keep her." She flashed him a friendly smile that she knew he wouldn't care for.

"Keep her?" he sneered, "What for?"

"Well, do you need her?" Alice asked.

"She'll be a promising tracker," Caius said.

Everyone glanced over at Delilah, who also looked confused.

"Caius," a voice echoed in the darkness, "I wasn't aware that we had guests."

Aro emerged from the shadows and smiled, then opened his arms, "Welcome." He gave an extended welcome, "Carlisle, it's been far too long, and it is always a pleasure; the lovely Alice. Have you come to join our coven, or will it continue to be a far-fetched dream of mine?"

"We actually came to ask for a member of your coven," Alice told him. She smiled.

"My dear, I don't know what you are talking about."

"Delilah," Carlisle said, "We would like her to stay with us."

"Oh, Carlisle, she is hardly a member of our coven. Her try-out didn't go so well." Aro's eyes met Delilah's and she looked down.

"I understand," he said, "It's just that..."

"She's fallen for your son," Aro concluded.

Carlisle, Alice and Jasper all looked in their direction and Carlisle put himself between his son and the Volturi members.

"My, you have reached maturity awfully fast," he went on, looking at Caleb, "I thought you were aging at a different rate."

"He did. It's been years since he was born. He just hit a growth spurt in the last couple months."

Caleb was speechless at the sight of Aro and Caius. He thought they were far more apparitional and frightening in person.

"Why don't we take this to the lower level," Aro suggested, still looking at Caleb over Carlisle's shoulder, "It's apparent that we have some important matters to discuss."


	44. Sixty Feet Under

**Chapter 44**

Caius kept looking at Delilah as they walked through the underground tunnel toward the main entrance of the room they generally resided in. Marcus rose from his seated position slowly and Caleb took in his massive frame. He almost backed away from his presence, not completely aware that he was probably the least dangerous of the three main Volturi leaders.

"Delilah," Marcus spoke in low, almost whispered voice. "You've returned... with the Cullens."

"Indeed," Aro added, reaching for her hand.

Caleb went to lunge for him and Carlisle put his hand up to stop him. He shook his head and wanted to warn his son to stop.

Aro nearly glared at him, and looked at Carlisle for a moment before proceeding with reading Delilah's thoughts.

"So it is true," he said, "You've fallen for the youngest Cullen boy."

Caleb and Aro made eye contact.

"That was my only _real_ instruction, Del-i-lah."

"I know," she said quietly, "I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Of course not," he said with false sympathy.

"Please don't do anything to hurt her," Caleb pleaded with Aro, "She didn't do anything wrong."

"Carlisle, do inform young Caleb that he may not be aware of the restrictions we have set up for our kind," Aro said politely. "I'm not saying he's right or wrong, but he is in no position to decide such things, especially not here." He held his arms outward.

Carlisle and Caleb looked at each other for a moment and Caleb refrained from saying anything further.

Caius walked slowly toward Delilah. He looked over at Aro and held up his hand.

"Brother?" Aro questioned, before taking his hand in his own. It had been a long time since he'd deemed it necessary to read Caius' thoughts.

Caius waited and Aro stared at him, then cocked his head to the side. An intrigued smile crossed his face and they both looked at Delilah.

"She is my creation, and I will take responsibility for her this time," Caius said.

Delilah looked at them both, fixing her eyes on one and then the other. She was confused and looked at Caius, having been intrigued as to who had been the one to turn her into a vampire.

"You changed me Caius?" she asked.

"Indeed." He took another step toward her and took her by the arm.

"No!" Caleb yelled, before Jane emerged and put him painfully on his back with her gift.

"Caleb!" Delilah cried as Carlisle rushed to his side.

"Jane, stop!" he called, about to run and take her out before Aro demanded she temporarily stop the use of her abilities.

Caleb gasped for air and Carlisle crouched beside him to make sure he was okay, before helping his son to his feet. He looked suddenly shocked and more scared than he'd ever been.

Caius continued to drag Delilah out of the room and Caleb looked to Carlisle.

"Where are you taking her?" Caleb asked, "Aro, please," he begged, "Please don't hurt her. This is all my fault."

"You are all free to go," Aro told them.

"You said something about a tracking gift, Caius," Carlisle said as a stall tactic, though was interested in what he meant.

Aro looked at Caius and Caius answered back, "It's really none of your concern, but yes Delilah has a tracking ability that even she doesn't recognize quite yet."

"I noticed in her movements," Demetri added. He had been so still in the corner of the room next to Felix that the two of them almost blended in with the wall. "She's a tracker, and could become rather talented in time."

"I don't know what this all means," Delilah said, still under the grasp of Caius.

"I'll explain," Caius told her coldly, then whipped around.

"Please," Caleb said again, he went to run in their direction but Carlisle and Aro each moved in front of him. "Dad!" he called.

Alice joined where they stood and looked Caleb in the eye, "We need to leave Caleb," she said.

"What?" he asked, exasperated, "No. No, I'm not leaving. Alice, how can you say that? You said... you were on our side before."

"I still am," she assured him, "But we have to leave now."

Aro turned and locked eyes with Alice, knowing she could see everything.

"Listen to Alice, Caleb," he said.

Caleb wanted to fight through his family members, and through the members of the Volturi, but he knew it wouldn't get him very far. He stared over at Jane who burned her stare into his as Caius and Delilah passed by her. She wore a look as if to say, 'if you try anything you'll regret it'.

Delilah looked over her shoulder and made eye contact with Caleb as she was taken from the room.

"Come on," Jasper urged, "We need to go."

"No!" Caleb continued to protest. "Not without Delilah."

Carlisle looked at Alice, who gave him a reassuring look. It was enough for him to begin taking Caleb by the arm in the opposite direction.

"Dad, I'm not going anywhere without her. We cant leave her here."

"She's in good hands," Aro said with a smile. "Don't worry."

Caleb glared angrily at his father, and then at Alice and Jasper as they more or less forced him to leave the premises.

"Keep going," Jasper said.

"They have her," he said angrily through gritted teeth, "They'll kill her."

Carlisle looked over his shoulder and Aro waved before Felix and Demetri each took a door and closed them together, leaving them in darkness aside from the occasional torches that hung on the wall along the way.

Caleb stopped about halfway through and spun around to face everyone, "Why are you doing this?"

"We have to get out of here," Alice said, "To safety."

"What about Delilah's safety?" he asked, "You set me up. You knew I wouldn't leave her so you helped sacrifice her?"

Jasper shook his head, "We'll explain on the way home."

"The way..." Caleb choked on the statement, "No! Not without Delilah." He began to march back toward the doors and Carlisle grabbed his arm, but he shook him off and pushed him back.

"Caleb, stop!" he called out, chasing him down.

"I'm not leaving with her, Dad!"

Carlisle reached for him again and Caleb continued to get out of his grasp until they were back in front of the doors.

"Caleb go!" Delilah called from inside.

He froze up, allowing Carlisle to catch up to him and begin guiding him in the opposite direction.

"Let's go, son," he said.

"Delilah!" he screamed, "Delilah!"

Aro reopened the doors, pushing each with one hand without difficulty. "Well, if you insist on staying..."

"We're leaving," Carlisle said. He glanced at Alice, who was continuing to urge them on away from the Volturi lair.

"Caleb, we need to go now!" she ordered.

Jasper took in a deep breath through his nose and looked at Alice with mild concern.

"Ahh yes, Jasper. You haven't quite gotten over the true nature of your thirst," Aro said with a grin.

A collection of voices mumbling and talking to one another echoed through the halls of the mansion. "I was hoping you'd be gone before our guests arrived, but Caleb, why don't you all stay for a nice, hearty meal. Maybe you could expand upon your diet and see if you'd like the local cuisine." Aro smiled.

Caleb realized what Aro was talking about, and he knew it's what some vampires did, but he had never seen it.

"Order him out of here now," Caius' voice came angrily and low from a back room.

Delilah ran into the main room, as the voices got louder. "Caleb," she said, "Listen to your father; to Alice. Go now and don't look back." She took his face in her hands and kissed him hard one time, not wanting to remove her lips from his. Reluctantly she pulled back, "They know what's best. Leave. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be."

"But-" he started.

"Go!" she yelled at him, making brief eye contact with Alice.

Caleb felt like sobbing, but he didn't dare in front of everyone. Delilah kissed him again, this time on the cheek and pushed her hands off his chest and bolted back toward where ever Caius was.

A parade of people began entering the room and Aro gave a wave to Carlisle, Alice and Jasper. "The invitation is still open," he said, "But if not then I suppose you should be on your way."

Caleb stood limply as the crowd of unsuspecting humans surrounded him.

Carlisle wasted no time and threw his son over his shoulder, then back bolting out of the place just behind Alice, who dragged Jasper by the hand as fast as she could.

"Don't think about it," she told him soothingly. "Come on. We'll be out of here in a second."

Caleb's eyes rested on the oversized doors as Demetri and Felix shut them again, while Carlisle still held him over his shoulder as he ran. The lighting from the room all but disappeared and all Caleb could hear were echoing screams.


	45. Ancestors

**I seriously can't stop writing today! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 45**

Carlisle dropped Caleb from his shoulder when they were out on the street and he guided his son toward the car that was parked on the outskirts of the city. Alice took Jasper's gently squeezed the lower half of Jasper's face with her hand and kissed him several times in a row.

"I'm glad some people are happy and can be with the ones they love," Caleb said snidely and angrily as he marched with them, looking over his shoulder every so often.

Carlisle positioned himself in the back of them all, suspecting his son may try to run back from the way he kept looking in that direction. When they reached the car and were driving away, he felt more content, but glanced over every so often at his son in the passenger seat.

He stared angrily out the window and a few tears finally made their way down his face.

Carlisle looked in the rearview mirror and made eye contact with Alice, dying to know what she did.

"Caleb," she said.

"I don't care," he said, before she could continue.

"Listen," she went on.

"No." He sniffed in hard and continued to stare blankly at the world around them. "They're going to kill her and we just let it happen."

"No they're not," Alice said finally.

Caleb scoffed at the remark and shook his head. "Yeah they're just full of reason... and second chances. I know all about them. I paid attention to everything my mom said in those classes."

"Good," Alice said in a cheery fashion, "I'm glad you're up to speed."

He shook his head again and failed to make eye contact with anyone.

"Carlisle, can you pull the car over so we can talk and get to the bottom of this?" Alice asked.

He did as she asked and Caleb refused to look at anyone.

"I don't want to be here anymore," he said dryly, "Take me home... to Forks; so I can be miserable there and stay inside all day-"

"I'm going to start calling you Edward," Alice teased, shaking her head. "I love him, but man you are as moody as he is lately."

"Gee, I wonder why? Maybe because everyone just stabbed me in the back."

"Caleb," Carlisle said, "Give Alice a chance to speak."

"She's fine," Alice said. "And Aro knew I could see that too. He gave me a look before we left."

"What do you mean she's fine?" Caleb asked, finally spinning around to face them.

Alice suddenly felt bad for teasing him upon seeing the tears in his eyes, despite the fact that he hadn't trusted her and was being overly snippy. She understood completely, however, and just smiled, knowing that he was going to be okay. "I didn't have time to explain while we were down there," she told him, "We needed to get out before they changed their minds, and before the humans entered." Her gaze drifted to Jasper and she took his hand in hers.

"What's going to happen to Delilah?" he asked.

Alice took a deep breath, "Let's see if I can explain this as clearly as a I saw it," she said, clearing her throat. "Since the very beginning of "time", Caius had been tracking every living relative of his," she said, "He discovered them, tracked them, but never, ever harmed them. It was his own secret project, something he wasn't hiding per se, but he decided to keep between him and Athenodora."

"That's his wife?" Caleb asked, seeming to be softening up a bit.

"Yes," Alice told him, "He's always kept track of the bloodline and kept an eye out for all of his living relatives. Most of them left the area and like all new generations, and ancestors, they relocated and started new lives in new worlds."

Carlisle stared intently at Alice, overly intrigued by what she was saying.

"I knew you'd like this," she said to him with a smile, then looked back at Caleb, "Delilah was his last living "relative". Her mother was also in his family's blood line and she-"

"Drank herself to death," Caleb said, giving Alice the information that Delilah had provided him with.

She nodded once, "As for the abusive husband, Delilah's father..." Alice sighed, "Caius killed him... slowly at that."

Caleb raised his eyebrows, "How do you know all this? You couldn't read his mind."

"He's telling Delilah all of this as we speak, and when he gave his hand to Aro, he was also telling him the truth about the situation. I wasn't sure what Aro's exact reaction would be, but he's not going to take action against Caius, or Delilah."

"So..." Caleb asked, waiting for her "happy ending" response.

"So, Delilah is virtually untouchable in the Volturi world. Caius won't harm her, Aro won't harm her..."

"What about Jane?" he asked fearfully, reliving the pain she had put him through.

"Jane does what Aro, Caius and Marcus say," Alice explained.

Caleb looked down and took in all of the information, "Did Delilah know any of this?"

"No." She shook her head and smiled, "She's going to live Caleb. She'll be okay. If we thought for a second her life was in danger, we would have put up a fight. Carlisle knows enough to trust my visions, that's why he forced you out of there."

Caleb looked at Alice in the eye, then to Jasper, who was beginning to smile and finally his father. "I'm... I'm sorry," Caleb said, "I'm sorry for the things I said." He shook his head and looked at the three of them again.

"And as far as your next question," Alice said, already accepting his apology, "She's going to show up at our house one day soon. She'll be back for you Caleb."

"They'll let her?" Carlisle asked.

"They're going to have her train with Demetri to sharpen her tracking skills... then she's going to be given the free will to go back and forth between covens as she pleases. They're going to assign her to try finding Micah and Helen though. They haven't forgotten about that. They'll use the fact that she'll be in the United States quite often as a resource. She'll have easy access to roam around and try finding them."

"So, she'll be coming back to Minnesota?" Caleb asked.

Alice nodded and smiled, "Yes. She does love you, Caleb. She didn't know any of this and was willing to stay and risk her life to save yours... all of ours really."

He smiled and sighed and slumped down in his seat.

Carlisle looked over at his son, as he apologized to his father again. "It's alright," Carlisle assured him, "It was an intense situation. You just have to learn to trust your family," he said, "None of us would ever, for any reason, stab you in the back."

"He's your father Caleb," Jasper added, "There's no bond like a parent has with their child. Don't forget that."

Caleb looked ashamed for losing his cool the way he did, and still looked exhausted from coming off what felt like an rush of adrenaline. "I'm sorry," he breathed and ran a hand through his hair.

Carlisle smiled to himself and put the car back in drive. Alice linked her hand back up with Jasper's and he gave her a wink.

"She's coming back for me?" Caleb asked again.

Alice laughed and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, "She's coming. Be patient, though. It'll be a couple weeks."

Carlisle's phone went off and he saw it was Esme. He picked up right away, knowing she would be happy to hear they were on their way home.


	46. Let Fate Decide and Lock the Door

**Chapter 46**

_One month later..._

Carlisle let the water hit his back as he stayed in the shower for several minutes after he was done washing his hair. He closed his eyes and relived the trip with the Volturi, thought about Caleb's mood turn around since Delilah had returned from Italy and tried to envision what their life would be like from there on out.

He adjusted and let the water decorate his neck and shoulders, then put his hands over his face and rubbed his eyes. When he reopened them, Esme stood in front him and he almost jumped back from being startled. A smile quickly formed on his face and he tried to keep his eyes on hers.

"Well, I haven't taken the time to properly explain how close I was to being the first vampire to have a heart attack," she said with a playful accusation in her voice.

Carlisle turned the corner of his mouth up in a smile that he tried to fight and felt himself lose the battle with temptation as he looked her up and down. Esme, however, kept her eyes locked with his and had no intention of looking elsewhere. Her determination made him snicker and he met her stare again.

"I'm sorry," he told her, without losing the smile, "It was a decision on a whim, and it felt right because Alice assured me that things would work out."

Esme's exterior tough demeanor altered when she smiled at him back.

"I know I said awhile back that I wouldn't leave you for any reason ever again," he told her, "But since everything worked out... do I get a pass on this one?"

"Hmm..." she thought for a moment and placed a finger over her mouth, while eying the ceiling as steam rose from the shower above them. She nearly started laughing when she noticed his eyes drop to take in her figure again, but she forced herself not to.

Carlisle slicked back his hair with his hand, "Please." He placed his hands on his hips and stared at her.

Esme smiled and looked at him again and nodded, "Alright." She took a half step toward him and locked her lips against his.

Carlisle's hands dropped to her hips then he slid his arm around her lower back.

"Mom, I'm just coming in to borrow the curling iron," Alex's voice called as she entered the smoky bathroom. "I just dropped mine and the handle, like, shattered everywhere."

Esme pulled away from Carlisle and she placed a hand over his mouth, then answered their daughter, "Take whatever you need, honey," she called, hoping she wouldn't realize that the two of them were in the shower together.

A quick smile formed on her face and she scrunched her nose almost nevously, waiting to see what Alex would say. A few drawers opened before she finally found what she was looking for. "Thanks!" she called, before leaving the room and closing the door lightly behind her.

Esme waited for the second door to their bedroom to open and close before she began to laugh as lightly as possible, particularly from the look on Carlisle's face.

Carlisle finally managed a laugh and Esme kissed him again. "Go lock the door," she whispered to him.

He studied her eyes and pulled the curtain back, tossing a towel over his waist.

"I'm washing my hair and I'll be right out," she told him.

Carlisle just smiled at her and headed out of their bathroom and into the bedroom. He stopped for a moment and headed toward the double door that led to their balcony and pulled the curtains down. He then glanced down at the fireplace that had remained unused in the corner of their room. To the right was a small tin basket filled with wood and some fire starter. He took several pieces and stacked them, then lit it and put the protective gate in front of the flames. Within a minute or so, the wood caught pretty good and illuminated part of the room.

Esme walked out of the bathroom and clipped her wet hair so it rested high on her head. She went with the lead he had taken by starting the fire and flipped the rest of the lights off. The white towel she had on matched his and she made her way across the room. "We haven't used the fireplace in here yet."

"I know," Carlisle said, with a shrug, "I figured tonight would be a good time."

"It is _another_ snowy night," she said, "It's fitting."

"It's _always_ a snowy night in Minnesota."

"Not all that different from Wisconsin," Esme told him, finally finding him within her reach.

Carlisle wrapped his arms around her and kissed her without attempting to hold back. His mouth explored hers as if it was the first time he had ever kissed her.

Esme un-did the front of his towel, but kept it locked around the rest of his waist and used it to pull him toward her as she backed up until she sat down on the edge. Their lips never parted and Carlisle pushed her the rest of the way upon into the middle of the bed. Their towels both got lost in the shuffle as they made their way under the sheets and Carlisle began to focus on the leftover droplets of water that were scattered all over her body. He brought his lips to each spot, making Esme smile and shudder.

She closed her eyes and let him do whatever he wanted to do, enjoying the mystery of where ever his lips would end up next.

Carlisle smiled and saw her jaw clench just slightly when he kissed the center of her hip bone. He stopped and brought his face back up so he lingered above her. She reopened her eyes and smiled at him, then closed her eyes again and kissed him passionately.

Just before he could continue, Esme's eyes caught the window to the left of the bed. She was about to tell Carlisle to close it, as they'd forgotten to over the course of the last five minutes, but she sighed when he kissed her neck.

"Close the window," she whispered, "Carlisle..."

He hadn't paid any attention to her initial request and she giggled for a moment and whispered his name again until his eyes opened and he began to get off of her.

"The hair scissors are in the bottom drawer," Alex called, before Rosalie flung open the door with a response of, "Okay."

Carlisle thankfully hadn't yet crawled out from under the covers and quickly pulled the sheets up completely over Esme's body.

Rosalie quickly put a hand over her eyes and laughed, "I'm sorry," she said, looking away, still laughing. "Thought it was just Esme in here. Was coming in to get the shears to cut Alex's hair." She shut the door, "Sorry."

Carlisle and Esme both looked toward the door before she turned to him, "I thought you locked it."

He still looked shocked and his mouth hung open, "Uh.. I started the fire and I got sidetracked."

Esme put a hand on her face and couldn't help a short, embarrassed chuckle. "That could have been worse," she said, still clinging the sheets that were pulled up toward her chin.

Carlisle sat upright and looked around the room. Downstairs, amidst splashing in the pool and the sound of a basketball being dribbled, Rosalie, Emmett and Edward laughed together before Emmett called out, "Carry on!"

"Stop," Edward said to him quietly, then a loud splash followed and Emmett added, "Nice cannon ball. Bet I can get the splash all the way to the window over there though."

"Try it," Edward responded.

Carlisle sighed and looked at Esme then laid down flat on the pillow. He looked over at her and laughed when she raised her eyebrows and smiled, still shyly beneath the covers.

"What do we do now?" he asked.

She shrugged, "I think Emmett was talking to us when he shouted 'carry on'."

The two of them shared a quiet laugh and Esme slumped down so she was face to face with him on the pillow. She brushed up against him and kissed him once on the lips. Carlisle turned so he was on his side and rested his hand on her hip and pulled her toward him so her leg draped over the top of his.

"Let's have another baby," he told her quietly.

Esme stopped and looked at him. "What?"

He smiled, "You heard me."

She sighed and her eyes squinted a little as she spoke, "Have you talked to Edward?"

Carlisle gave her the same confused expression, "No. Why?"

Esme studied his eyes and shook her head.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing..." she said.

Carlisle smiled and touched the side of her face gently. He didn't have to ask again. She could see that he wasn't going to leave it alone.

"It's nothing," Esme assured him, "Edward just happened to be reading my thoughts."

"When?" he asked.

"Over the course of the past... year," she laughed.

Carlisle waited for her to elaborate.

"I just... well, that thought has crossed my mind quite a bit. I guess as I thought about it more often, it probably began to drive him nuts." She laughed and shrugged. "He told me to talk to you about it but I still thought Caleb needed us too much to consider it."

"What about now?" he asked.

"He may need us more than ever," Esme told him.

Carlisle nodded.

"But, he _is_ older now," she added, "So, I don't know. I mean, parents have children just a year apart, or two or three, right? While they're still toddlers. Caleb is... older; older than that."

He snickered, "Esme, you tell me when you think it's right and we'll go from there." He ran a hand down the silver chain of her necklace.

She smiled and kissed him. "Why don't we just... see what happens?"

"What do you mean?"

Esme raised her eyebrows, "Let fate decide." She looked down, then back up to him. "If it happens it happens, if not then..." she shrugged.

Carlisle smiled and kissed her once, "Are you sure?"

She sighed and moved a little closer, then nodded, "Mm-hmm."

He kissed her again and smirked, "So.. do we start letting fate decide right now?" he asked

Esme laughed and nodded, then whispered, "Only if you lock the door this time."


	47. Beautiful Forever

**Last chapter in this story. As always, I like to ask if you're interested in continuing this universe. If not, that is totally fine :)**

**Chapter 47**

Esme's eyes flickered open in the darkness and she realized she must have been blessed with the need to rest her mind. Alex always had a habit of giving their minds a rest, and it was apparent that both she and Carlisle needed it after all their family had been through. She had done that quite often with Caleb over the course of his wait for Delilah's return, knowing her younger brother's mind was long overdue for a rest.

Carlisle breathed in calmly and easily next to her, facing his head in the opposite direction as he laid on his stomach with his arms under his head tucked beneath the pillow. She looked at him and had a warm feeling inside. He rested so peacefully, like there wasn't a thing in the world that could disturb him at that moment. The lingering flames from the fire gave his bare back a dark, orange glow.

Esme ran a hand through his hair, which was still just slightly damp from his shower earlier. She sat up slowly so she wouldn't wake him and reached for a towel that hung halfway off the edge of the bed, throwing it around her body as she stood up just as carefully out of the bed.

The fire, though still burning, had begun to die down and ash had gathered beneath the metal piece that held the wood. Esme took upon herself to reignite it and tossed a few more on to the pile, lighting another match with the fire starter. She then prodded the pile with the fire-poker and placed it back on the rack as the flames picked up again.

Her eyes made their way to the collection of pictures on their family members on the small table to the right of the fireplace. She made the connection that the time Caleb had come in, staring at the photos, he was probably seeing everyone with their significant others and felt hurt over the fact that he couldn't, at the time, have Delilah.

_I'm sure there will be a picture of the two of them up there soon enough_, Esme thought with a smile. She began to take in all the events that happened with her youngest son and she almost shed a tear from what he had to go through at such a young age. None of them had expected anything to happen the way it did, and Esme felt a mother's guilt for allowing him to put himself in such a vulnerable position. She quickly reminded herself that things had turned out alright, and she almost felt like they had won the lottery over the fact that Delilah was very, very distantly related to Caius. Had she not been, things would have turned out to be far worse.

_Don't focus on the bad things that could have been_, she reminded herself, _things turned out fine_.

Esme listened harder for a moment, focusing on more far away sounds than the occasional pop from the fire. She heard Caleb, Delilah and Mackenzie talking about Hamlet, as their English class had just begun to read it as their next book. They compared notes and spoke quietly, all sounded casual in their conversation. It made Esme smile, as she knew it was beneficial for them to get an education outside of the vampire world. Caleb was still overly interested in going to school, which she was happy about. It gave him exposure for all that life had to offer.

Alex and Michael weren't quite as enthusiastic about their studies, though they each reported home with good grades. Michael was just about at the point to graduate high school when he was changed, so a lot of it, like Delilah was repetitive to him.

Esme had sensed that Michael was trying to take Delilah under his wing, seeming to over-empathize with her situation. While Alex had taken more time to warm up to her, Michael's warm-hearted nature and tactics swayed her to begin to take a liking in Delilah. She had trouble with trust, but began to understand and really take a look at the similarities between Michael's and Delilah's situations.

Rosalie, too, made it a point to give the girl a hard time, but began to ease up a little as she had with Bella. Delilah took their criticisms well and looked to be eager to please them in whatever way possible. Most of the rest of them were more accommodating, and Esme made it a point to make her feel welcome. With Edward's constant reassurance, she knew that the young girl loved Caleb as much as he loved her. Jasper, too, threw in the facts he collected from her emotions and sided with Edward on the matter.

Esme's focus returned to Carlisle's steady breathing and she looked over at him, seeing he hadn't moved from the way he laid. She smiled again and looked down toward her stomach, wondering if anything had happened over the course of the last couple hours. She knew there would most likely be no indication if she was pregnant or not until at least the morning, but decided she wouldn't dwell on what the outcome would be.

She walked back toward the bed and laid back down, tossing the towel to the floor as she slid back in between the covers. She laid on her side with her back to Carlisle, watching the fire as it was now back at full force.

A content sigh left her mouth and she pulled the sheet up toward her chin, cuddling herself into it comfortably. Although she was on her side of the bed, she could smell Carlisle's scent on her pillow and she smiled. A moment later, she felt his arm slide around her mid-section and his chest pressed against her back.

Esme smiled and linked her fingers with his, then felt his lips against her upper back and shoulders before he settled himself comfortably behind her. Their legs intertwined and he made it so they were as close to each other as possible.

"How long was I out for?" he asked her in a whisper with a quiet chuckle at the end of the sentence.

She sighed and stroked the back of his hand with her thumb without letting go, "I'd say about an hour. I just woke up a few minutes ago."

Carlisle lifted his head a few inches and then laid back down, "Did you throw more wood on the fire?"

Esme nodded, against the pillow, smiling again as his words danced off her neck as he spoke. "Yeah. Just now."

He moaned contently and kissed her shoulders again. Esme grew to love when he was in an occasional sleepy daze as he was now. It added to his peaceful, Zen-like innocence that he always carried with him, but was brought out the heaviest when he slept.

"I love you," he whispered.

Esme squeezed his hand. "I love you too."

He managed to cuddle himself even closer and ran his foot up and down her calf before finding a permanent place for his leg in between hers.

Esme closed her eyes, letting the fire drift out of her view. She felt complete and happy. The warmth from Carlisle radiated into her body and made her feel like everything, from that moment on, would be alright. Whether the thought was true, or just a fleeting feeling from how safe and secure she felt at that moment, Esme couldn't bring herself to contemplate the "what-if's" anymore. Like always, she was prepared to live out a beautiful forever with her loving husband and beautiful family.


	48. Next Story - Dark Moonlight

**Thanks again for all the reviews and follows! The next story is Dark Moonlight (I am absolutely terrible at title names for stories & chapters lol)... anyway you can find the link for it in my profile/story list or you can go to:**

**fanfiction dot net /s/10086786/1/Dark-Moonlight**

**Thanks again... and I wrote in there also, sorry for neglecting Carlisle's backstory that I've started. I have just been getting a ton of ideas for this right now, and I kind of have to go back & forth with the Twilight books and Guide in order to try to stay accurate for his story. I will be updating that one ASAP though. Sorry for delay :)**


End file.
